Bob Poe Speaks About Mike Doogan and Mudflats
By Bob Poe
The Legislature can change people. Having lived and worked in Juneau four times I’ve seen Legislators come and go. They arrive as idealists fresh off the campaign and sometimes leave members of the “corrupt bastards club. Mike Doogan has changed, not in the corrupt bastards sense, but in a sadder, an angrier sense.
I consider Mike Doogan a friend of mine. I contributed to his campaign for the House. His recent behavior in regards to exposing the AK Muckraker is very disturbing to me, but not surprising. Late last year I had been discussing with a friend how angry and cynical Mike had become. Other Legislators had shared with me that he wasn’t taking on any of the real leadership in the minority or other heavy-lifting tasks that could easily have been available to him. And when I read the dueling letters early this year in the Anchorage Press, I really wondered why Mike was so angry.
Deep down Mike is a journalist of the old school variety, the Edward R. Murrow type. As a columnist Mike took his fair share of shots from politicians he took on, because his name was attached to the column. For Mike to see others able to do this under different, new rules must be frustrating for him.
In the last year I have found myself in conversations with traditional journalists who are honestly and deeply concerned about the demise of the newspaper and of their style of journalism. These are good people in general. But, partially with their complicity, they were sold a bill of goods. Mainstream journalism has for some time now moved closer and closer to entertainment and further from the brand they studied at places like the University of Missouri, or University of Alaska. Nowhere is this truer than cable TV news.
But another more profound change happened to journalism in the world, a change that happened very quickly, and which left many of the older brand journalists scratching their heads. Unfortunately, American cities across the country are losing their papers either entirely, or they are becoming on-line versions in an effort to stay connected to today’s rapidly changing information marketplace.
Blogs and bloggers are at the heart of this change. Today people everywhere, even in China, are exposed to an unlimited variety of information from too many media to count. And, we have become much more critical consumers.
A survey of 10,000 blog readers earlier this year found that 61% of respondents found blogs to be more honest than other media outlets. Mary Hodder, a product manager for Technorati offers four reasons for this change:
1. Blogs have niche expertise; newspapers try to cover too much.
2. Bloggers are more transparent because they are upfront about their biases. Readers trust themselves to be able to weigh these and to glean a balanced view from what they read.
3. Bloggers link to documents and sources so the process is transparent, verifiable, and easy for the reader to review.
4. And perhaps most important, when a blogger makes a mistake the credible bloggers take responsibility next to the original posting, not on page 7.
I think the world still needs good, fact checking, multiple source journalism, but this new type of journalism is much more relevant and important to today’s information consumer, than journalists realize. There is room in this world for both and they don’t have to operate by just one set of rules.
So two things have now happened with Mike Doogan’s “outing” of the AK Muckraker. First, Mike has struck out against a force he is having a hard time embracing and won’t be able to stop. Secondly, the author of The Mudflats has been brought face to face with hopefully the next stage of her writing life.
At the end of her entry “In Exposing the Identity of Mudflats, Rep. Mike Doogan Exposes Himself” she says she will take a moment to consider what this means. Well I for one hope that my friend Mike Doogan also takes a moment to consider whether he is doing any real good in Juneau and whether Juneau is doing him any real good. Secondly, I hope our AK Muckraker continues her efforts at producing an outstanding forum for progressive discussion in and outside of Alaska. And, that she thanks Mike Doogan for kicking her forward into the next stage for The Mudflats.
Hey, Bob. Did Mike Doogan ask you to write this? Are you an apologist for him? I don’t foresee anyone thanking him for his stupid act.
AKM-Please continue on I(we) need your intelligent insight. I don’t think Doogan is capable of reflecting.
Well stated, Mr. Poe. It’s difficult to be between two people you care about and to try to make sense of one of their actions. I believe Mr. Doogan overstepped his boundaries and showed his true colors.
This is a case where no one wins, and two people lose. Mudflats lost it’s anonymity, and Mr. Doogan lost his political career.
Another example of two wrongs don’t make a right.
Keep on, keepin’ on.
Over the last several months, I have become quite a “reader” of newspapers, websites,blogs, etc. I have come to the conclusion that a great part of the appeal of a blog is the ability to comment on what I have just read. I enjoy the “give and take” with other posters and like when my opinion is validated and take no offense when my opinion is “shot down”. It makes me think about how I really feel about what I have read. Aside from the political, the Mudflats has been a wonderful place to learn about all things Alaskan.
I always thought that AKM was a woman and she, along with Rachel Maddow became the 2 women I most admired in this crazy world we live in.
Whatever this man’s reasons were for making her identity known, he was WRONG to do so.
I am 62 years old and change,although a fact of life, is not a thing of which I am terribly fond. I hate to think that this man’s actions will change the comfortable routine of each morning as I sit down to my computer with my cup of coffee,open up my bookmarks and read the latest musings from the Mudflats. Shame on him.
AKM-Please continue on I(we) need your intelligent insight. I don’t think Doogan is capable of reflecting. Please continue. Please-Please
Thank you, Bob Poe! I wish I lived in Alaska so I could vote for you! There are clearly two kinds of people there. Those who think clearly and communicate effectively giving the reasons behind their thinking and willing to state their honest opinions.
I hope for all the rest of us (all over the world) who follow AKM and think of her as a very dear friend that we don’t lose her clear voice. We want desperately to protect her from any and all harm. We also want desperately to protect our wonderful source of information.
Sending big cyberhugs and good thoughts to all my fellow Mudflatters and a bigger one for AKM. And hoping for the very best for AKM to come out of all of this…..
Doogan needs to be brought down. Period. There is no excuse for his actions.
I think missle blunt palin misses the point – It was petty of Doogan to out our AKM, but Poe is hoping that instead of a stumbling block, it will be a stepping stone for AKM.
Thank you Mr. Poe
From one of the (still) anonymous bloggers,
WfAK
Fantastic post Mr. Poe. I can only hope that this will lead to many posts at Huffington Post, a book, TV appearances. Maybe it’s time to give up the day job?
Sry for the double post. I’m anxious and flustered.
Mr. Poe,
May I be the first to suggest:
G.O.P for P.O.E. (It sounds better than it reads).
Bob, it is to late to try and rescue Doogan. He will just have to take his lumps like a man, and he will get a whooping out of this act.
He alone is responsible for what he becomes. He alone controls his behavior.
As for AKM, I know character when I come face to face with it. She will be the stronger for this. Doogan on the other hand, just comes of as spiteful. The man does not think before he acts. He needs a good hearing with his grandmother.
You go, Mr. Poe – nice thoughtful commentary.
Mr. Poe, Thank you for this timely analysis. We are sort of at the point where “the cow man and the sheep man can’t be friends.” As I am sorry to see our local paper shrink, I also find that I read very little of it because the news is so old by the time it’s printed.
In the 90′s I was the manager of a web site for a professional organization. It was difficult to set up standards for what we put on the web and had only scientific journals as precedence. There is a whole new set of ethics and etiquette.
President Obama is in a unique place in understanding the new technology and how it can wowrk to may our lives better, and he sees broad band connections as being similar to Lincoln’s view of the trancontinental railroad.
There are going to be mistakes as we go through the changes. I’m glad you explained Mr. Doogan’s point of view.
For my part, I think “Thanks” might be a bit much to ask for, at least for now.
I do hope the best will come from this; maybe it will work out for AKM to continue to write, or expand her horizens in some way.
Maybe Mudflats, while awesome, is too limited a venue for a writer of AKM’s high caliber. Maybe the State Legislature is too confining for a Representative of Doogan’s caliber.
Just sayin’
Nan
What was Mike Doogan’s purpose? I didn’t care who was doing the writing, only that it was good, well-written and packed with information. So he wins at “gotcha”. And what did he gain from it? Was it punishment for criticism? An attempt to shut the Mudflats down? He only made himself look petulant and foolish and vengeful. Nice Job, Mike.
Blogs exploded for two reasons IMHO; people wanted to know what was *really* happening, and people wanted their own voices to be heard. I’ve been getting all my news from the internet since 2000. I don’t trust the MSM. They don’t check their facts, they regurgitate right-wing talking points, and they apparently don’t credit their readers with much intelligence. They moan about the failure of their papers, but the papers wouldn’t be failing if they had done their jobs. We (I) wanted facts, not soap opera, not infotainment, not gossip. They didn’t give us facts for the most part. They lose, and they brought about that loss on their own.
In times of pain or injury, it is best to seek understanding and to hold at bay the desire for revenge or retaliation. I have heard many calls for lawsuits or attacks. In contrast, I much appreciate Bob Poe’s thoughtfulness, and I would expect that is why it appears here now. AK Muckraker is also seeking a moment of reflection, an opportunity to understand what has happened and what it means. There is much work to do in the days ahead to build our communities and to stand up affirmatively for what we believe and what we are willing to devote our time and energy to. There is no time to think only about bringing others down.
Thank you Mr. Poe for your efforts at understanding.
Thanks, Mr. Poe.
SusanD, I with you re: getting my news online.
AKM, I posted in the last thread, if you start a Legal Fund, please let us know. I will be happy to donate. This kind of $hit needs to be nipped in the bud.
Very thoughtful comment Bob Poe. Thank you. You may have helped moving us all into the next phase. (Sure is good to see a new post up.)
And I hope you take some time to consider the importance of wild fish stocks, clean water, sustainable communities, and healthy watersheds in Alaska.
Thank you Mr. Poe for providing us with some insight into Doogan’s anger. I appreciate your thoughtful response, although I will never forgive mr doogan for what he did to a private citizen in his capacity as a public official. And that thank you from AKM will probably not be forthcoming, though I get your point. That’s the only part I disagree with however. An individual has the right to determine her own path in her own time, without this kind of “help” from an angry, vindictive man.
ps…thanks for running against Sarah Palin. Much appreciated.
Thank you, thank you, thank you Mr. Poe, for your courage and candor in your support of AKM (she’s so totally awesome). I SOooo hope you’re our next governor!!! And OHhhh what a breath of fresh air that would be!
While I agree that challenges can catapult us forward into a new, sometimes better place, I must say that I am horrified by the fact that Mr. Doogan has chosen to ignore the first rule of internet safety not on his own behalf, but for another. Every class in internet use begins with an absolutely inviolable rule: Never, EVER, give out personal information that can be used to identify you in an online blog, chat room, or forum–or at all, really, unless you’re a public figure and it’s important to that you formally respond in your public capacity.
Mr. Doogan has devoted time and energy into what amounts to stalking–he has chosen to invate AK Muckracker’s privacy. And he has chosen to publish her name (or what he believes to be her name) for all to read and know.
As I’m sure I need not tell you, emotions sometimes run high when politics become personal–which is one of the reasons why it’s so very important to use pseudonyms, and why those pseudonyms remain intact. AK Muckraker has now had that protective layer of anonymity stripped away, in violation of every rule of safe and courteous internet usage.
The worst of it is there is no way back. A bell cannot be unrung. Her name has been published. Every person who differs with her politically now has the vital information they need to invade her life in whatever way they wish–she has been laid bare.
Why? I don’t know Mr. Doogan. I’m not even a resident of Alaska. I am a faithful mudflatter–I have found it a thought-provoking, friendly, welcoming place. And now that place has violated, and no reason is good enough to justify that. I find myself wondering how Mr. Doogan would like it if his home address, social security number, birthdate, and credit card numbers were published to the world. Lest he read a threat in that, let me assure him that I have no plans to do so, though the internet gives us the power to invade each other’s privacy at a whim. I could find his information in an hour. I could publish it in seconds. And to do so would be a terrible invasion of his privacy–the same invasion he has visited on AK Muckraker.
An apology would be nice, but it wouldn’t fix this any more than any other personal invasion can be mended by words. I’ll stop now. There is nothing more to say.
You just said a mouthful. I read daily about the demise of the press. I’m not sold on the idea. They went for info-tainment. Now they compete with reality TV. The idea that journalists were ever some special clique is silly. They need to start researching and writing like they mean to inform someone of something.
Thanks to Mr. Poe for his thoughtful commentary.
However, as I was discussing with my mother tonight (she has lived in AK for approx 50 yrs now), doogan’s actions in no way, shape or form benefitted ALASKA. Whether he likes it or not, he is an elected official of Alaska, he is paid by the State of Alaska, he represents Alaska and Alaskans, and therefore he is expected to uphold certain ethical & legal standards, standards which he violated today.
doogan’s writing has always reflected a certain cynicism. I’m a cynical person, so I never found it offensive, even when I did not agree. Michael Carey, as noted by my mother, writes along similar lines, but does not write with the cynicism that was so often exhibited by doogan. Perhaps that cynicism has been exacerbated by the political jungle of Juneau. If that is the case, and doogan can no longer operate as an ethical & professional LEADER obliged to serve the best interests of ALL Alaskans, not merely the constituents in his district, then he should step down, and certainly should not have stood for re-election this past November.
There is virtually no benefit in writing to him, emailing him, phoning him. He simply does not care. Getting the word out to his fellow representatives, pushing for legal action if applicable, speaking to his constituents who are able to deny him votes the next go-round, those are the only things that seem to have any chance of success.
It’s very suspicious that all of this has unfolded while the Faux News circus is in town. I think I smell a rat, a disgruntled rat. It seems obvious that doogan has not taken on leadership positions within the legislature for some very good reasons. I’d say that his actions & words are both objectionable, and I certainly do not want anyone of his nature in a leadership position.
Poe definitely tries to put a positive spin on Doogan’s misdeed. He really misses the point though. AKM is not a paid journalist. Her blog is a forum of opinion, opinions that are sometimes dangerous to voice in this political climate. She is protected by the constitution and what Doogan is trying to do is quiet her with intimidation. He appears to have done this on the State’s dime as well. Ethically, he is challenged at best; Criminal at worst.
This does open doors for the infamous AKM to be sure, but the door was for her to open, not him.
Keep on writing! You are the best AKM!!!
Mr. Poe, apparently you also have not considered that there are many reasons why a person might chose to remain anonymous. Doogan had NO right to “kick” anyone anywhere. Another poster already mention her circumstances for remaining anonymous – safety concerns. On the prior thread, a writer mentioned the horrible experience of being stalked. I’ve had my own experiences as a (fully vindicated) whistleblower, complete with harassment, threats and property damage.
Nice try! At least you can construct sentences well. Now rethink your rather insensitive statement about the physically violent act of the “kick”.
AKM will go on to success and acclaim, as she so richly deserves. But it should be in her time, by her choice and not by the mean-spirited, petty actions of yet another failed politician.
Bob Poe, If I lived in AK I would vote for you.
AKM (Jeanne) You GO GIRL!
You are “out”, embrace it and run. Take the opportunity to make your opinions known. I hope you realize you speak for many of us.
Mr. Poe:
Your comments were thoughtful, however did not really explain why Mr. Doogan chose to do this, aside from his being “angry”. The fact that Mr. Doogan’s actions were probably a violation of AKM’s Constitutional civil rights seems to be left out of the explanation. In fact, although I don’t believe it was your intent, it appeared you were making an excuse for his thoroughly reprehensible behavior.
I, too, hope AKM continues because to quit would be to give Mr. Doogan’s “angry episode” meaning other than exposing him as the petty snide rude person that he obviously is.
It is also my hope that AKM will obtain an attorney and file a civil rights case against Mr. Doogan. It appears he needs to learn there are consequences to his actions. And I will be happy to contribute to that fund as I’m sure others will as well.
Thank you for taking the time to write your post. It appears you meant well but it also sounded a little like defending a friend who just did something inexcusable.
Everyone here has said pretty much all that needs to be said. I check in daily at a few blogs…DailyKos, Bob Cesca, Think Progress, Huffington and Mudflats. Your anonymity has bothered me, but I respected it, only because it was your desire and your choice to remain such. The problem is that this day was sure to come. There is no such thing on the www, let alone when the anonymous person has so much to contribute to dialogue. You’ve been undone by your talent!
While I would understand you now stopping, I would be really disappointed. It comes down to the crux…do you back off or do you go full force into the spotlight? Personally, and selfishly, I hope its the latter!!
Welcome, if you choose, to the realm of the successful blogger!!!! (and thanks to “spouse and kids” for giving you up…and the computer, too!!)
Thank you, Mr. Poe, for your attempt at explaining the unexplainable. Unfortunately, it remains unexplainable.
Doogan, an elected official, blatantly violated the US Constitution as well as the privacy of an Alaskan citizen, and, even worse, apparently did so using his official office and equipment.
Nice try, Mr. Poe, but Doogan doesn’t deserve your friendship. What he deserves is [1] a strong ethics complaint and [2] a humongous lawsuit from Jeanne.
Just couldn’t post on previous thread because of timing out problems.
It’s eminently clear that Doogan considered you a formidable force that he couldn’t control or even compete with ( e.g.. who cares what Doogan thinks or says outside of his own little sphere of influence??) On the other hand, AKM has a powerful voice….and a powerful community of voices that span the country and globe.
You’re absolutely right, AKM. Doogan exposed HIMSELF by his actions:
–JEALOUSY that he doesn’t have your sphere of influence.
–ANGRY IMPOTENCY that he can’t control your voice.
–THREATENED by your accurate criticisms to hold him accountable as elected official.
–VINDICTIVENESS in trying to strike back at you for exercising your 1st Amend, rights.
–DISHONORABLE in the means of his “revenge.”
–IMMATURITY in not taking public criticism as part and parcel of grown-up politics.
–OBSESSIVE in spending more time on your identity than defending his positions
intellectually and politically.
–IGNORANT in thinking that a private citizen’s speech is only accountable if not anonymous.
–LACK OF INTEGRITY, both personally and journalistically, in taking away your control of
private information.
–UNETHICAL in behavior as an elected representative of the people and constitution.
–DANGEROUS in his misinterpretation of the constitution, especially as an elected
representative.
Doogan EXPOSED, indeed. Petty, little, jealous man of poor character who thought he could use dishonorable means to hijack some of your considerable influence….and thereby make himself look larger. Pimp.
Since Alaska is not a populous state, your identity was bound to come out in time one way or another. Although not trying to flatter you, your role in Alaskan and national politics has been way more influential than this poor schlep Doogan.
Continue your work, AKM. Your intelligence, integrity, and clear, strong voice are needed.
P.S. The arts of disguise can be employed to enter the “belly of the beast” on another day. hehe.
Mr. Poe your post was thoughtful. I do not live in Alaska and I don’t know anything about you but I truly hope you are being sincere in your post……
The more you know Bob Poe the more you appreciate what a great asset he is to this state. I hope Rep. Doogan finds a better outlet for his anger. Perhaps Mike needs to consider a “next phase” of his journey as well.
Mr. Poe – Thank you for writing. Mr. Doogan is mean and petty. AKM has done a splendid job in showing the world the life of AK. Every thing from Brian to environment to politics. Her writing has been a joy to read. With her keen and discerning eye , she showed the rest of us the truth about your great state. There is no excuse for Doogan’s behaviour. It’s almost like he needs some sort of intervention. Definitely at the ballot box.
I just read the email exchange that Phil Munger posted on his blog, concerning some questions he had for mr doogan. mr doogan’s responses indicate that he is a deeply disturbed and angry man. His words and actions clearly show that he is not fit for public office. I can only hope that Alaskans will take the necessary steps to vote him out of office when he comes up for election. Sometimes there simply isn’t a “lesser of two evils.” Allowing an unfit person to remain in public office merely because he is a Democrat is unacceptable. I won’t have my party sullied like that.
Very kind and insightful article post from Mr. Poe, and it may be that Mr. Doogan might take a moment and consider too that he needs to apologize to AK Mukraker, maybe let this be an open door for honest dialogue by elected officials towards constituents, allowing themselves to admit, “I made a mistake, give me another chance, and I’ll do it right next time”. I don’t think bloggers care about a misdeed of an official, but care more about the official’s lack of accountability and humility after a misdeed.
doogan thought he was powerful and his enews to constituents with a name for an anonymous blogger would increase his power. He sought to eke out one extra drop of pleasure from his sense of power with his email to AKM. This is the pyschology of a bully and it didn’t develop overnight, nor at the onset of his legislative stint. Spin can’t fix that. The Alaska Democratic Party can keep doogan and lose the voters that value ethics or acknowledge the problem. Their choice.
The aging journalist in brave new world angle SUCKS.
dear bob poe:
thanks for your kind words.
dear AKmuckraker — or may i call you jeanne?
bob poe could well be very right. but it was not doogan’s place to put you in a position where you have to make life-changing decisions.
he should — at the very least — publicly apologize to you.
and not one of those mealy-mouthed non-apology apologies either. you could write it for him but he would have to read it out loud at a public gathering and then pay to publish it in the newspaper two saturdays in a row.
what a tool.
best of luck. we’re all rooting for you!
Thank you AKM for posting this message from Mr. Poe. And Mr. Poe- it is an interesting perspective. Thank you for your thoughts.
It is a sorry state of American politics that service of the ppl creates angry cynics all too often. And as you say- maybe this is a new open door for AKM.
Only AKM can decide what is best for AKM. But I found your post thought provoking.
Mr Poe-
At whatever level I someday forgive Mr doogan for his action outing AKM I will not forget he has changed someone else’s life with no apparent regard for consequences for that person, for no reason which could be called necessary.
Any of us who are in outer middle age are watching a rapidly changing world and fearing the best of the old will get left behind .
Why did Mr doogan not work harder to bring forward the best of old journalism ?
Why did he lash out in what , to me, was a fit of personal pique?
It is too bad that Mr doogan did not consult with friends such as yourself before acting like a brat…
Perhaps folks who care about him can get him some help or encourage him to do something different.
I , however, am sick of hired public servants who throw public temper tantrums and Mr doogan has just done so with this action. Our State of alaska homepage is starting to look like a personal blog- Would that he go after that!!!
While going on to the next phase should have been AKM’s choice, history teaches us that those that go on to do something that truly benefits society are often pressed their by others–either through their support, or through their hostility. These things keep the progressive thinker from falling into complacency.
AKM, you have a chance to really take this forward. Don’t let fear dictate your decision. Do what’s right for you and your family from a position of strength, not retreat, whatever that decision may be.
The best to you.
I sent the following letter to Mike Doogan:
As a faithful reader of the blog Mudflats, and as a once faithful reader of your column in the Anchorage Daily News, I find it difficult to express how disappointed I am in your actions in outing Mudflats. Even if you had been obsessed to discover the identity of Mudflats – something I can possibly understand – why did you need to publicly flaunt it? Lord knows we are extremely short of citizens who are of a progressive or liberal bent, but then you had to publicly out one of the best writers of them all – for what reason? If one of Palin’s kool aid true believers had done this, I could understand it. But in addition you killed something else. One of the delights of this blog was the unknown personage of the writer. We were therefore free to construct our own person. And because of the excellent writing and the identity of the writer being unknown, the community – the community of Mudflatters — became the important attribute of this blog. Had you understood this blog and the comments and the forum, you might realize how very much you have hurt not only the blogger Mudflats but the hundreds of Mudflatters who delight in this community. It will be forever changed because of you.
Google “mudflats doogan” (without quotes). Generates over 400 hits and the numbers are rising. A random check indicates Doogan doesn’t have any support on this one. And he used state resources to make his “announcement.” That says a lot right there. What was he thinking? I have been a fan of this site since the beginning. The Mudflats blog speaks the truth and the truth shall set you free.
Geoffrey Dunn gets it “Dunn” again!
Go Geoff!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/geoffrey-dunn/huffpo-exclusive-right-wi_b_180283.html
AK Mudflats, the traffic on the site stymied my efforts to comment earlier – to give you a virtual embrace for what Doogan has done to you.
I’ve wondered how earnest supporters felt when Nixon was exposed, how much it must have hurt them to realize that he betrayed them and the American people. Doogan is no Nixon (you know what I mean) but he was someone I gave credence to because he was a writer. I felt his brutal honesty in his columns meant he had insight and bravery that many of us shy from.
I read one of his books and I’ll admit I was a little embarassed at how sophmoric it was, but I’m not here to criticize his fictional writing. His responses to constituent emails is further disappointing, rather, arrogant and unapologetic. He sees nothing wrong with what he did, and that just makes me sad. Sad for the State of affairs with our Governor and many of our elected officials. It doesn’t have to be this way.
That said, it is incumbent upon us – people like mudflatters, to make sure Palin does not make another ballot, and that people like AKM and Bob Poe are supported and encouraged for how ugly it is likely to get.
AKM, you are an inspiration. You take your time to reflect and digest. Sink into protective obscurity if you so choose, but we’ll be here and hope you return.
Nowhere does Bob Poe say what Doogan did was wrong …..
Mike Doogan put AKM at risk knowingly and deliberately.
AKM had every right to an opinion AND privacy. Doogan had NO right to interfere with either.
Doogan’s friends should get him to a psychiatrist.
Mr Poe, I think you owe Eward R. Murrow an apology. Mike Doogan may have, at one time, been a reporter, but his outing of AKM has shown that whatever journalistics ethics he may have possessed have been washed away by his own ego and anger.
From the emails that first landed him on the pages of Mudflats to the ones he has written in reponse to citizens’ polite questioning of his motivations in this latest outrage, Doogan has responded in ways that would be more appropriate to a pre-teens MySpace page. Whatever facility he may have once had with words has been replaced by snippy, childish whining and pathetic taunts.
Mr Poe, your belief in AKM is one shared by many. Your sense that Doogan is not a “corrupt bastard” is not.
I heard Doogie on the Pocaro show this afternoon. I was terribly disappointed in Pocaro standing up for him…saying that you should have to expose your identity to talk about the governor. Doogan was just as catty as Palin in his explanation of why he did it. And on State time and State resources…..he knows better. There was no advantage to “Out” you Jeanne…except to cause pain……something the Paling team is very proficient at. I am so digusted with Alaska Politics I don’t sleep at night. I am praying the remaining legislators can stand up and remove a mentally ill woman from the leadership role in this state. I heard in the last 10 days, the Princess’s numbers have dropped over 5 points………stay tuned…we are in for one heck of a ride now with WAR and the princess. And Doogan……I choose not to say who I am….let’s just say you lost my vote if you run again.
You go girl!!!!!
apologies for the typos in my above post… hard to proofread when feeling so disgusted
AKM I just listened to a speech in my toastmasters group last night that change is inevitable “Albert Einstein”. Just like Sarah Palin was thrown into the spotlight this could be a great opportunity for you in disguise. Not how you would have planned it, but how the universe has.
You have an incredible ability to write and put together information, facts and pictures that are relevant to all people in this country. You have created and developed a very successful blog. Thank you
What transpired today means Mr Doogan and Gov Sarah Palin KNOW you tell the truth and they keep coverng MASS lies and deceptions. Thank you for being brave and courageous. You are my hero and many americans.
Mr. Poe,
I liked your very first response to my very first email to you, and I appreciate how you have stepped up to the plate for AKM and the blogging community. I didn’t even know what a blog was before June of last year – now I can’t imagine not knowing and checking several of them regularly. THIS blog does offer something very different from mainstream media in Alaska – accountability. The blogger has no one else to blame for misinformation but herself, and if she doesn’t catch a factual goof, you know the readers will!
Yes, we are here for her great style of writing and the welcome feeling at the door, but more importantly, I’ve been able to get so much more current and relevant information from this site about all kinds of Alaska issues that I could never manage even searching the archives of all the online AK newspapers. I have a TERRIBLE time searching the archives – it’s frustrating. You have to piece everything together yourself to look at more than one side of an issue. And there is so rarely follow up in the newspaper style of journalism – it’s a one shot deal and good luck finding any more info unless you dig for it yourself, and I mean dig!
AKM’s style of presentation with making a story of the news and presenting links promotes the readers to do the same – to add their own links and ideas on topic and as the discussion grows, so does the contextual information of the post itself. And there’s humor, and diversion, and camaraderie.
The Alaska online media has been overrun by TeamSarah rats, so what could have been a good forum section of Alaskan (and other) news articles has been completely ruined. I will not read any comments of any Alaska newspaper except the Alaska Dispatch (they are feisty, I like that). So this is where we come for discussion. If the people with differing view points would remain polite and interesting, they could hang out here, too for conversation and information.
I emailed Mr. Doogan In January this year with the idea that after reading his snotty and snarky email in response to a very polite email that I sent to him, he should retire. It was quite clear that he was jaded and had gone far over the bounds of common courtesy. That is a sign that his time has come – he’s not coping with change and so he needs to go fishing and write a book and get out of public office.
I am now getting a glass of wine to hold up – chink- to AKM, Mr. Poe and all mudpuppies! This isn’t going to go away, good job!
I’m sure if Mr. Doogan was as obsessed at his job performance as he has appeared to be for some time in discovering the identify of AKM, he might have possibly proved himself to be a politician with some level of possible credibility.
AKM has written numerous blogs highlighting credibile people. He happens not to be one of them as he has not appeared to have displayed credibility worth writing about. Therefore he should be more concerned with his job performance as an elected official on behalf of the people in his district in Alaska, those same people who elected him, rather than his time spent as Sherlock Holmes for which he was not elected for or paid for.
No doubt his time spent on this issue was in fact on the public working time within the public office. Might I state it as being an ‘Ethics’ issue — Using time meant for conducting business on behalf of the people of Alaska which in turn means receiving payment of public funds as it falls under the time and possibly equipment within his public office and using it for his personal use and gain. Such personal gain as to expose a person on a medium for which is unpaid and that which is not within an elected office
position. Others have written re the Constitutional issue.
Yes, Canadian Neighbour Diane still exists with a new laptop this week as my desktop bit the dust some weeks ago.
I guess Doogan should consider himself lucky I don’t live in Alaska but live far away as I would shread him. I totally lack patience for stupidity, something he has an excessive abundance of.
AKM — You & your family’s safety is the priority, which you know that. But, I like everyone else hope when you have had sufficient time to sort through this, you return as you would be missed. Honest writings are rare these days and yours is at the top of the list.
I too would gladly contribute to any legal fund.
Mr. Poe:
Your explanation was helpful to me in understanding Rep. Doogan’s action. It’s always useful to remember that folks are rarely of a single piece. I myself find the uncertain future of the newspaper industry, verifiable journalism, and the permancy of the printed word very worrisome.
That said, the explanation does not justify the act. AKM’s words prior to Rep. Doogan’s action did not justify the act.
Add to that, Rep. Doogan is not just a guy, he’s part of the Government of Alaska.
He needs to apologize. He needs to take responsibility for the fallout. And, possibly, he should find another day job.
Maybe DooAGAIN is trying to get on Fix News along w/ Gino…
Well said Mr. Poe. I too have high regard for Doogan, but was concerned about what I had been seeing. I could see his concern about the condition of the journalism profession. I did not agree with his response to a blogger that has garnered a tremendous following, for good reason, just as he has as a columnist. I still cannot excuse what he did, nor his email responses to “Dave”. I think he needs a break from the email. It is too easy to have a “heated argument” thru email that has words that cannot be taken back easily. I cringe at the names I hear people calling him, because even though he is behaving like a jerk, he really isn’t one most of the time.
I was disappointed to see that Mr. Poe did not focus on the ETHICAL BREACH on Doogan’s part. Being offended by bloggers did not give him the right to out Jeanne. He is the one who chose PUBLIC office, while she CHOSE to remain anonymous as she shared her writing with the world. She had absolutely no obligation to use her name. She did not libel Palin, Doogan or anyone else.
To focus on Doogan the journalist misses the mark. As a public servant, what he did was unconscionable. He’d better hope that nothing ugly happens to this family as a result of his self-righteous action.
Bob, I do thank you for weighing in on this cataclysmic issue. You did a pretty good job of putting things in historical perspective journalism-wise.
I agree that Mike needs to reconsider his place in Juneau. I also think the Legislature should formally censure him.
But unless you know something I don’t, how in the world can you expect AKM to thank Doogan right now ??????????
Thank him? — for turning her life upside down?
Yaayyyy, Candian Neighbor, you were in my thoughts today, don’t know why but welcome Back!!!!! I know I missed you.
Writer’s block.
We noticed ourselves, that Doogan was very angry, and had an appalling lack of good manners. We also noticed that he was not particularly gifted as a writer.
The cause of his rage-assuming he is not an alcoholic-might not be a “force he is having a hard time embracing and won’t be able to stop”. After all, by most accounts, as a working writer he has been “washed-up” for some considerable time. If ‘respondents’ find blogs to be more honest than other media outlets, it’s also true that they find bloggers to be more honest than politicians.
Maybe he tried “to stop” AKM because he was envious of Mudflat’s success.
Hopefully he will be able to add “failed sleazy politician” to “failed author”, in his curriculum vitae.
It was with real sadness and a tear in my eye when I read this latest. Although I haven’t posted in a long while, I continue to read daily — my own little fact-check on what the MSM reports. I did what I hope others of you are doing (if this has already been suggested, forgive me but we’re busy fighting floods here), I wrote this creep an email:
Mike,
You don’t know me, you can’t out me, I don’t live in your state and don’t pay your salary. But, I am deeply saddened by your actions in outing the Mudflats blogger. I am one of thousands who found the website on the day your governor was nominated and every day since, I’ve been there to read and learn.
I’ve learned a great deal about your state — some flattering, some not so much. But, I have learned — about salmon fisherman, Native families who are starving and freezing, moose, the legislature, your citizens and volcanos. What I’ve also learned is that you are a very angry, bitter, vindictive and evil man — congratulations. You must be so proud. Do you really disrespect the privacy of others so much that you felt it important and worthy of your time to undertake delivery of this non-news. I don’t care who wrote the blog. What I care about is that it was always timely, honest, newsworthy and accurate.
Perhaps you think you’ve squelched Mudflats and maybe you have. But, rest assured, she and other voices will continue to speak the truth, just as other fearless journalists have for generations. So, what have you really accomplished? Nothing but to show us all how small-minded and vindictive you are. But then, you already showed many of us those same qualities when you wrote us that earlier email.
Shame on you.
Teri
Fargo, ND where our elected leaders are busy demonstrating true leadership in a time of great crisis.
I appreciate Mr. Poe’s attempt at explaning Mr. Doogan’s reprehensible actions. As a freelance writer and multiple blog author, I take pains to do the best I can to shield my family from too much exposure, knowing that, unfortunately, there are those out there who take the comments section much to seriously. I have had frightening comments left on my posts, and I am not a political blogger.
Mudflats is an outstanding piece of work, and even though the newspaper’s evolution into its current state is frustrating to the “old style” journalist, the time is here to evolve or move along.
Mr. Doogan shamed himself as a so-called “journalist”.
Don’t stop, Muckraker.
AKM
Your anonymous nature was part of the intrigue and mystery with this blog.
I liken it to that of Clark Kent and the famous Superman hero. A writer that was also a public figure. AKM, your always going to be a modest and unassuming supper hero with a little 007 mixed in to me. A contemporary real life doer of public well being. Instead of physically fighting agents of greed, doom and gloom. Your supper power was exposed with your wit and intellect. Your mighty pen clearly opened up the cracks in the doors, exposing political posers, corporate greed, and conditions of concern for all Alaskans.
May the light of truth and knowledge shine brightly on the mudflats. Regardless of the jealous politicians that are in power, and the brown nosing kiss a** posers that pretend to serve Alaska. We hold you to a higher level now! Ethics count!!!
Some people you can bull shi* and get away with your charming flair, macho ego, self-righteous bs, or flirtatious ways. Then there are the growing bloggers and mudflaters, that demand a higher level from are elected officials.
Darwin was not always right you know. It wasn’t the biggest and the baddest iguana that left his seed in the flock of female iguanas all the time. It was the clever, crafty, and nimble iguana that had skills, song, dance, poetry in motion, and the wit that planted seeds as well.
Get use to it poser’s, the light of truth is fast and furious these cyber times. You better get your game A game on, because we are not going to accepted your crapola any more.
Anonymous Homer political blogger in 007 training program.
Mr.Poe it’s a little late to close thebarn door after the horses got out.. Don’t mean to take it out on you…You should not have to do Doogan any favors..This man is lower than pond scum..It’s his mess kit soooo let him deal with it…Jus sayin….
“So two things have now happened with Mike Doogan’s “outing” of the AK Muckraker. First, Mike has struck out against a force he is having a hard time embracing and won’t be able to stop. Secondly, the author of The Mudflats has been brought face to face with hopefully the next stage of her writing life.”
Well with all due respect Mr. Poe, I think you are giving Mr. Doogan a wee bit too much leniency, seriously, he is acting as a voted in official is he not? what do you say to that part? as you say, whether he is responding to some past occupation, I think you give him too much favor when you compare he with AKM. It seems you are enabling his response. And heh, asking AKM on the day of this blow to thank Doogan for it, is ahhhhh……pushing it. That’s like the callous saying inappropriate things to someone hurting via a death or crisis.
I appreciate you publicly asking your friend Mike Doogan, who as an elected official abused his public trust, in my opinion, to reflect on a his job, is it well done? I’d love to know……I kind of admire your concern for your friend about what Juneau is doing to him, but it is also bothersome. Why are you allowing excuses and blame due to a location? a job? that he chose? for this action, which is his choice.
Wow! This link has a bunch of emails about this whole thing from Mike Doogan himself. What a jerk! <a href=”http://shannynmoore.wordpress.com/2009/03/27/my-friend-mudflats/
Yaaaaahhhhhh Canadian Neighbour!
http://shannynmoore.wordpress.com/2009/03/27/my-friend-mudflats/
“Anonymous Homer political blogger in 007 training program”
Wow that was a great post! You go!
here_in_PA — Howdie! That’s scarry – your thinking of me today. I’m looking over my shoulder to make sure no one is there!!
taupe in Fargo — Well written. Love your postscript sentence. Isn’t that the truth. Stay safe!!
I too am outraged at this. There has been total agreement to each and every comment. AKM my prayers are on you and your family. I too am an addict to your blog and hope you do not stop. My agreement is with others, if you do stop, it just goes to show that “he” has won. Don’t let this jerk do this to you. You’ve educated so many, you definitely are an angel in disguise.
Well, Jeanne, you may not have been a writer or journalist before, but you are definitely a skillful and valued one now. Keep writing. And get a guard dog.
http://shannynmoore.wordpress.com/2009/03/27/my-friend-mudflats/
Well, three’s the charm. But if my link doesn’t work this time, I give up. But it’s still a great read.
Someone suggested googling “doogan mudflats” (without the quotes). It’s interesting and amazing.
DooDoogan has really made a name for himself.
While I understand Mr. Poe’s defense of his “friend’s” decompensating mental condition because he is confused and angry – the fact is that DooDoogan used State resources on State paid time to stalk an anonymous blogger. He violated her Constitutional Right to free speech. He has committed a crime according to Alaska 2nd Degree Stalking Statutes.
He deserves whatever political fallout he receives. As a starter – he also doesn’t deserve to be re-elected.
Alright, AKM. Your constituency has spoken. Pour yourself a glass of shiraz. Sit back. You are richly admired, appreciated, and loved. And so desperately needed. SO take that break. But don’t make it too long. Your work is far from done. You’re just gettin’ warmed up.
What’s the difference between Doogan and Palin? Lipstick. : ) DUH!
Folks, what she needs, we need to be there. Don’t we need some of that mudflat gear? I say a shopping spree is in order.
Mr. Poe: You can put lipstick on your pig, but he’s still a pig.
Mr. Poe,
I expressed my anger about what has happened to AKM on a previous thread.
But what I want to say to you is this: AKM is Alaska’s voice in the 21st century. AKM did more to rehabilitate Alaska’s “brand” than any politician you have in office. AKM is/was the sorely needed balance to the “Alaska brand” right now, at a regional, national and international level.
With so many AK politicians carrying ethical and criminal “shadows” (e.g., such as Stevens, Palin and now Mr. Doogan–need I go on?), you needed SOMEONE to make Alaska seem attractive and real– not just a cold place with confused teenagers who give birth out of wedlock while dropping out of high school.
Every day AKM demonstrated to the world a love of Alaska: she was your goodwill to Alaska Ambassador in the blogosphere. It was always clear how much she loves the place, warts and all. She made ALL of us love Alaska. Now that is a precious resource for the state. AKM is an Alaskan commodity!
There are businesses, such as tourism, that owe a big debt to AKM, from a branding perspective. She made many of us want to visit there (or re-visit, or even relocate there).
And now you’re telling us that out of apparent and uncontrollable jealousy, a old school cynical Democratic guy backstabs your brand? It makes no sense. You all should have been vigorously and carefully PROTECTED AKM, as she is Alaska’s greatest asset right now.
And AKM became Alaska’s greatest ambassador without winking at us. She did it without talking about her hair being up or down. In fact, we had no idea what she looked like.
She did it with wit, perspicacity, humor, grace, and honor.
Alaska owes AKM.
That’s a great idea, Jo, help support AKM that way! And to AKM, I pray you return very soon. Mudflats is a shine of light in the blogosphere.
I, too, was astounded when I read this news. While I understand Mr. Poe’s point of view and his explanation, I will have to say that when I got jaded about my recent job and was having a hard time not being rude – I quit my job. Doogan needs to be mature enough to see what’s happening to him, if indeed the jadedness and disappointment about journalism, or the insistence of constituents and others that he respond politely is getting to him. But I appreciate Mr. Poe’s support of AKM, and his understanding of a friend’s position, however painful that might be.
Also, too, I make it a habit to contribute a (small – that’s what I have) amount to something every month, and I just made my April contribution early – hit that donate button, mudflatters!
PollyAnna in WA – Your link worked!!
Hi Martha!
Just sent the link to these two posts to Talking Points Memo as well.
Mr. Poe, I appreciate your reasoned comments. I think you offer some insight into Doogan’s bizarre state of mind, and offer him quite a bit more compassion than most of us feel right now, but well done. FYI – It’s also nice to read a comment from a politician that doesn’t include the word “assnine” or sound like it was written in 5 minutes on the back of a piece of scrap paper.
You make some interesting points about bloggers, and the changing face of media. During this last election cycle, I was amazed by the number of politicans (GOP mostly) that seemed unable to understand the concept of the INTERNET and YOUTUBE. Suddenly, just saying “Oh, I never said that!” wasn’t good enough because 1.2M people could look up their latest speech on YouTube in 2.3 seconds. Witness Michelle “Crazy Eyes” Bachmann on Chris Matthews and her subsequent claims of being “misquoted”. Stunning.
The Daily Show and Colbert Report was being acknowledged more and more about changing the face of political reporting also. More of their viewers are knowledgeable about politics ……. and surprise, Fox News viewers are at the bottom of the ratings.
Again, I appreciate your comments!
The emails at the following link are even more disturbing.
(http://progressivealaska.blogspot.com/)
Excerpted…
(Philip Munger writes in reply to Doogan’s inquiry into AKM’s identity)
…A friend of mine writes the Mudflats blog. He or she lives in a neighboring district of yours, not mine. There is concern that to go public might be detrimental to Mudflats’ professional and/or business situation….
Phil Munger
(doogan’s response)
Phil:
Thanks for the response.
I think that if blogging might be detrimental to the “professional and/or business situation” of the person writing Mudlfats, then he/she shouldn’t be doing it. But even if it is, are your arguing that it’s okay for people to stand in the shadows and shout into the public debate? What next? Hoods and torches?
AKM: What angers me the most abouot this is that I really believe the objective was to silence you.
You didn’t ask for this but don’t let the asshats win. They want to silence you because you won’t let them operate in shadows. Hoods and torches my ass. The word the comes up over and over and over and over again when speaking about Alaskan leadership is accountability and the complete lack of it. Keep making them accountable!
Consider the words from another pretty decent writer…
Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.
William Shakespeare
Welcome back, Canadian Neighbor! Missed your thoughtful voice from a different perspective!
—————————
Poe: ” And, that she (AKM) thanks Mike Doogan for kicking her forward into the next stage for The Mudflats.”
Sorry, Bob….your post had many fine points but unfortunately ended with the above pompous and presumptuous statement. Whether AKM feels inclined to thank Doogan is entirely none of your business. Doogan violated AKM’s civil rights and stepped over the ethical line by using his political office and official newsletter to do so. Everyone is interested in your policy plans as a gubernatorial candidate but not in your delving into personal directives of AKM’s life. Inappropriate.
While I appreciate Mr Poes email, there is no excuse, no reasonable explanation for what he has done. And I bet he is clueless about the negative effect this will have on his political life. I how this doe not stop AKM from continuing to write. I found this blog by accident during the presidential election and have been a faithful reader ever since. She us a very gifted writer with a sharp mind and she has every right to post her OWN opinions and thoughts. And if she wanted to remain anonymous,and I believe she has been violated and betrayed. And by a Democrat!!!!!! What a JERK!!
To AKM, thanks for all your hard work and I have learned so much from your posts. I hope you don’t stop and give up but I also would understand if you chose to do that because of your family and/or other personal reasons. You have been an inspiration to myself and many others!!! I hope you know this!!
Professor (19:43:40) :
And AKM became Alaska’s greatest ambassador without winking at us. She did it without talking about her hair being up or down. In fact, we had no idea what she looked like.
She did it with wit, perspicacity, humor, grace, and honor.
Alaska owes AKM.
________
Bravo, Professor, bravo! Well said, and I couldn’t agree more!
AKM – A nice bottle of wine is coming your way via Pay Pal – a toast to a guy who is now toast himself!
Alaskans, it’s easy to send your message to the entire legislature using the POM link (50 words or less)
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/poms/
Re posted from the previous thread, this is what I said w/ my 50 words:
Representative Mike Doogan performed a reprehensible act today by childishly revealing an Alaska blogger’s identity: “I am planning to reveal this in the enews I send to my constituents tomorrow”. Why is Rep. Doogan using state resources to violate the privacy of an Alaskan resident?
Have not read all the comments, but glad AKM is here to stay!!!!!!!
Having worked at the Anchorage Daily News and seeing ‘journalism’ from the inside, I can tell you have little respect for the job and the people who do it. They are biased. Their job is to sell newspapers, not report the facts. I saw how often the news was edited to fit their ideals and missions. I saw facts twisted, misreported and deliberately cut. I’m not sorry to see newspapers go away.
As for Doogan…too bad he couldn’t use his time constructively like maybe DOING HIS JOB instead of trying to have his petty little revenge. With the behavior of him and others in the Alaskan political arena, I can well understand people wanting to be anonymous. Regardless of the source, anonymous or not, a fact is a fact. The way you vote, Mr. Doogan, the things you say are on the record and no matter how you try to spin it, you’re still petty and small.
I’m afraid I have been a little misunderstood. My view is that Mike Doogan already did something I think was really wrong by outing AK Muckraker. One of the things that makes this time in media and journalism so interesting is this natural tension between traditional journalism and blogging. There are other journalists that are patting Doogan on the back, we need to understand their perspective even if it we think it is wrong.
I completely agree it should be up to AK Muckraker to be annonmyous or not, but as one writer said you can’t put that cow back in the barn. And as another writer said it was bound to happen in a state with such a small population.
I want The Mudflats to continue, I must read it. I really do think that one day our author may thank Mike Doogan, not in a submissive way, but in a powerful way which recognizes that it was this moment when she took The Mudflats to the level it may be destined to reach.
I don’t even remember what this post was about as I am still livid from the last -thus forgot. What kind of MF would do this to you except a right wing fruitnut who obviously feels threatened by your written word.
Please know aka AKM that -around the globe, you have a large # of people behind you. Named or not, you have done your civic duty. Washington, Jackson, Jefferson, Lincoln (okay maybe not Lincoln- he was kinda Bushy during the war ) would be PROUD.
Kick A mighty mudpuppy. Hold your head high.
Lee323: As always, you nailed it.
Canadian Neighbour: Welcome back. We’ve missed you.
Mr. Poe: Yeah, sorry about your friend’s inability to change with the times. Boo-hoo. Doesn’t excuse a thing. He’s a jerk, and he has acted unethically on several counts and probably illegally, too. also.
AKM: You may be outed, but you’re still an anonymous, pj-clad, yellow-booted blogger to me. It’s a turning point for you, to be sure. When you rake the muck, you dig up some weird, sh*t. Unexpected things happen. Whatever your next move is, I support you. And if it includes a swift, legal kick at the place where doogie’s danglers would be if he had any, that would be interesting. Worth reading about. Just sayin’…
Secrecy is the essence of voting.
It is the heart of the political process.
In private we can form out own thoughts and answer our conscience without answering to anyone.
On Mudflats, you’re invited to come in and share what AKM is thinking and share her point of view. You get to peek over her shoulder as she writes her diary.(blog) If you behave, you get to respond.
This is not the same as standing in public with a name tag & press pass calling out Palin on her latest “Gate”.
Her blog posts are personal, intimate and private.
Doogan you doofus. Her blog is something people go to because they -choose- to go there. She neither confronts nor attacks anyone.
Your email which you sent people without asking AKM or the recipients was pushed on people without their request or permission.
THAT was an -attack- on AKM’s privacy. You miserable $#|+ you can’t take that back.
You outed her because of some 1st Amendment argument !!? My @$$!
The federalist papers were written by anonymous political critics “Hiding” behind a pseudonym.
You’re the dope who would have outed Thomas Jefferson, and for what purpose?
AKM – The offer still holds, if you want, I’ll kick his sorry @$$ to Fairbanks and back. Just say the word …
; )
Mr Poe, you claim that “other journalists” are “patting Doogan on the back.”
As we say in the blogosphere: LINK PLEASE?
In other words, prove it.
Well, Jeanne Chilton, I am proud and honored to finally meet you in person. It’s an honor! Peace, strength and the force (the good one) be with you!
Hi Paula, Did you get my message?
Hi Dr Chill, Long time, no proximity! It’s a long road to Fairbanks, I’d be happy to assist in the @$$kicking.
Mr., er, Governor, er, Mr. (please be my Governor) Poe
Thanks for your post. Your last sentence is – I don’t have the words – AKM is comfy here in the ‘flats surrounded by all this love, as she should be. But – maybe you are right – she probably has lots more in her, and maybe Doogan being a jerk will help her make that leap, be part of the transformation that our most excellent President talks about. We’ll all say we knew her when….
A door closed but a window opened? Good things are coming for AKM – I just know it!
As for Doogan, he should consider retirement outside. You are right, he’s not happy here anymore.
Mr. Poe – I also do agree what you are saying about the “outing” as well. That can’t be changed now, but what will matter is how this change is embraced, and how AKM, and how we all, move forward from now on.
screw mike doogan and the stupid nag from which he entered this world. he needs to take a good hard look at himself, and I don’t mean of the right-hand-wanking-the-the-weener variety. he needs to ask himself some very simple but important questions, not the least of which is: am i the type of person who can be proud of my accomplishments? and he needs to ask himself whether he can live with the weenie he has become.
just my two cents worth. keep giving him hell by slapping him upside the head with your real view of how things are. if he doesn’t like what you do or your opinions, then skip him.
Hey wired-
Now you know where the chill comes from.
And here we were, all rooting for Poe. Maybe he is a closet Plainbot after all.
What a sad, sad, day.
Yeah, AKM!!!!!
You be da man! (opps…had a michelle bachman moment there)
Seriously, you have more integrity and smarts than all of us out together!
Oh, and Mr. Poe?
“The Legislature can change people.” What the hell? It hasn’t changed my senators or my representatives, state or federal. They still have integrity, they aren’t corrupt, they don’t write stupid emails to their constituents, they do the job we elected them to do, and they don’t use the power of their office in petty, personal, vindictive ways. But then, I don’t live in Alaska. Maybe it’s different up there.
Excellent point, Dr. Chill. We come here by choice to read what AKM has to say and exchange info with like-minded citizens. AKM is NOT “shouting from the shadows” and Doogan’s allusion to “hoods” is so digusting it boggles the mind.
Doogan’s email to AKM on the eve of this outrage was menacing and he clearly did this to cause harm to her. He’s a pathetic, petty little man.
HI PA. I didn’t get a message… by phone? Got home late and didn’t check. Will check that in am. Like I said -home late to THIS! Wow! Call me in the am. We must chat!!!!
Bea
I apologize, but I don’t know how to link to some of the talk radio programs like Mike Pocaro KENI, but be sure there is more than one point of view on this from journalists. But here is the point, one of the best things about The Mudflats is the discussion group, I’m not standing up for Mike Doogan, I’m suggesting he take a look at why he is serving in the Legislature, and I am hoping that AK Muckraker will continue and that she gains strength from the situation. The discussion might be a lot more constructive if it focussed on how to move something you all love forward, it’s pretty unanimous that folks think what Mike did was wrong.
OK, DrC, you want the first leg, through the Mat-Su to Talkeetna? (I’ll watch your back through enemy territory.) Then I’ll take over up to the turnoff to Denali, then maybe we’ll do a tandem the rest of the way?
Shannyn Moore was excellent on KO, paula, if you can find it or if they rerun it you need to watch it. LOL, I probably won’t be up till 11 am
Bill Poe said: I want The Mudflats to continue, I must read it. I really do think that one day our author may thank Mike Doogan, not in a submissive way, but in a powerful way which recognizes that it was this moment when she took The Mudflats to the level it may be destined to reach.
——-
If AKM wanted to reach ‘another level’ I’m sure she could have. It was her choice to not. Heck until today we didn’t even know AKM had children.
AKM’s choice was to write an excellent, anonymous blog. Doogan could have chosen to not read it. Instead he chose to expose her, clearly against her wishes and even knowing that exposure could affect her family’s livlihood. And I belive his reason was to silence her or at least curtail her clear, unfettered, immensely popular voice.
To quote another writer who shunned the spotlight and chose to remain anonymous…
Celebrity is the chastisement of merit and the punishment of talent.
Emily Dickinson
I can honestly believe that AKM is not looking for celebrity and therefore wasn’t eager to get to that next level – whatever Bill Poe may perceive that to be.
I believe she was looking to raise her family in the state she loves and have her state not be run a bunch of unethical, crooked jerks.
Is it just me? I thought Bob Poe’s statement was very well done. I think he’s doing what any politican SHOULD do, which is not to jump in with both barrels a-firin’ and just blast away (ala Palin), but offering a measured response that acknowledges both sides of an issue. I think Palin demonizes something in order to try and “neutralize” it (as per her response to CelticDiva) and we know how well THAT press release went over!
I certainly hope this doesn’t dampen AKM’s enthusiasm for blogging; however, when I consider the intense vindictiveness of all things Palin, I can understand why AKM is stepping back to consider her next move. She does have, after all, her famiy to think of.
Paula,
I respect Bob Poe and his work very much! He has worked hard for the State of Alaska and he’s a true advocate for a sustainable rural Alaska. I don’t have to like his friends, but I think Mr. Poe has been acting like a someone who wants to be a politician for the right reasons. And here is in the blogosphere, I appreciate that, too.
Bob Poe-
I work in journalism, and I can tell you outing folks is not respected. REAL journalists go to jail to protect sources -they’re not snitches. This is BS, BS, & more BS. And if you KNEW … helped … ? Outed? Well, it’s Alaska… a sad state, except for AKM.
Are there two sides to unethical?
Mr Poe
Blogs are not a form of Journalism. They’re rather like diaries that others get to see.
And as for her greater destiny… Yeah well we may wish great things for her- A book political office whatever, but its her destiny, her choice and maybe this was just supposed to be fun and satisfying, and unfolding according to her schedule.
Big or small I say thanks AKM.
Whatever it will be will be enough.
-Dr Chill
I agree with a previous poster, that we all need to buy something from the Mudflats store.
And Bomb Doogan’s email.
Representative_Mike_Doogan@legis.state.ak.us
or call him 907-465-4998
But be polite.
Maybe I am missing Poe through angry tears – I will have to sleep on it, revisit it and re read. Maybe I am too angry to think.
AKM -you hang tuff girl. You have served your country well & have done your civic duty. Keep going! Don’t let them beat you down!
(twenty) Three cheers for AKM!
Poe: “One of the things that makes this time in media and journalism so interesting is this natural tension between traditional journalism and blogging.”
Good point but carrying that further…..What’s really interesting about this time is there are millions of voices that have finally been freed to express their opinions about the governance of their country. If a blogger makes a mistake, there are many other bloggers who instantly question the mistake or ask for proof (like Bea (20:01:45). Newspapers have a critical lag time in corrections and usually bury the corrections in their next day print because their first priority is selling themselves as a product. Bloggers don’t have that conflict of interest. We will get to the heart of the truth….and quickly.
So…I appreciate your interest and involvement in joining the discussion, Mr. Poe.
Warning served to all the “Old Guard Politicians.” THE PARADIGM OF POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT BY THE PEOPLE HAS CHANGED FOREVER. Adapt or get out of politics. Millions of eyes of your constituents are now following your every move to hold you accountable as our elected representatives….and it’s all done at the speed of the blink of an eye! This is truly the fulfillment of the promise of government by the people and for the people. We are the people!
Sorry, Mr Poe, but a station that broadcasts Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura doe NOT pass my standards of “journalism” and I suspect neither does Mr. Pocaro, who I assume to be a purveyor of the same right-wing info-tainment GOP shillery as his national colleagues. Even Rush doesn’t claim to be a “journalist.”
And “sure to be more than one point of view” is NOT the same as your previous claim that “other journalists” were in favor of Mr. Doogan’s actions.
I get that you think this may catapult AKM into well-deserved bigger and better things, but in the meantime Doogan has put AKM and her family in jeopardy due to the simple fact that Palin has so many truly UNHINGED and DANGEROUS supporters.
We all wish AKM strength and hope she’ll move forward but in the near term we are rightly DISGUSTED by Doogan’s vile actions and your attempt to mount even the slightest defense of him does not reflect well on you.
“Are there two sides to unethical?” Nope, never stated that. I think that Poe is wise to ACKNOWLEDGE doogan’s mindset, but I don’t think he rationalizes it by any means.
Mr. Poe:
You say that deep down Doogan is a journalist of the old school like Edward R Murrow. I’m not familiar with Mr. Doogan’s work, but I don’t think Murrow would have done this.
While outing AKM may eventually lead her to the next step in her journey, that should have been her decision and hers alone. I truly enjoyed all her posts, but especially liked the ones where she attended events anonymously and reported back to us. Like her recent trip to the other side at the Lincoln Dinner. Mr. Doogan has taken that ability away from her.
I hope you and your fellow legislature will censor Mr. Doogan. Has he not engaged in a breach of ethics by using state time and equipment to try to find AKM and out her?
AKM:
AKM, you are in my thoughts. Thank you for your part of my happiness…you always bring a smile to my face. Hurry back if you so desire. If not I wish you speed and wisdom along your chosen path.
Mr Poe,
We realize that you are a Mudflats supporter and that you think the outing was wrong. But the mudpups are pretty darned angry over this incident, and some of us thought you leaned a little heavy on explanation, way light on the wrong that was done, and just a tad insensitive about the thanking comment. That’s how I feel anyway. I’m a big supporter of yours, even though I don’t live in Alaska anymore. I just think you needed to be a little more forceful about how wrong mr doogan really was, instead of mostly focusing on his anger. We’ve seen his anger in action and are fully aware of it. But people need to know that this was wrong. Not a little bit wrong, but a lot wrong.
That aside, thank you for your comments. I think you have helped frame the discussion and calm people down. Our anger is turning from grief-anger to action anger. I’m sorry you have such an angry, unethical friend, because he is now going to get voted out of office and it isn’t going to be pretty.
Oh, and I do think that doogan is a pompous (dangerous) twit, and I’m sure that karma has a big surprise planned for him.
And while I’m at it– I’m with kenaiqueen (above) on journalistic integrity. The journalism of Edward R. Murrow died a long time ago. We may like sitting down with a cup of coffee, a Cinnabon and an old-timey newspaper, but that doesn’t mean the stuff in that newspaper is well-researched, or unbiased, or accurate. I’m sorry people are losing their jobs, like the hundreds in Seattle who are now out of work because one of our dailies has quit publishing on paper, but I haven’t read it in a long time, anyway. Most of it’s wire service, and I think we’re down to a couple guys in Paris and Hong Kong and Christiane Amanpour out in the field filing all the reports for the US media. If journalists are wringing their hands about bloggers, I have a hard time believing it’s about anything but losing their jobs.
madmatriarch (18:58:03) :
Don’t let no one change AKM for us . AKM is AKM. I don’t know if AKM is male or female. I think this DOODOO man is delusional.
see he only thinks he knows who AKM is, AKM could really be any one of us on here, let him have fun wondering WHO IS THE REAL AKM, must send him a e-mail . I think he nailed the wrong person, anyone else think that?
I have no respect for Doogan. His obsession over AKM’s identity is psychopathic. He is jealous, and very fat and old. I hope he reads this.,
Mr. Poe,
None of us posting have a problem moving forward in whatever manner AKM may so choose. I’m going out on a limb taking the liberty to speak on their behalf believing we have pretty much the same thoughts — Our concern is for AKM that she find her comfort zone to continue. It is also wanting for AKM to feel safe on her own behalf and that of her family in doing so. There have been enough demonstations as to how some other blog authors within your state have been treated and felt threatened.
Doogan’s email responses to numerous people have been posted in various blogs, some of which have the inclusion of references to the KKK. That’s certainly not comforting.
I am still having issues with Queen Taliban Gino going after the female bloggers. Am I the only one here that is seeing this…or am I reading to much into this gender thing? Is this truly junior high or what?! She gets her Cling On’s/Dingle Berries” to do her dirty work. She steers clear from Phillip Munger, Andrew Halcro, Dan Fagen and Gryphen. But why does she go after Celtic Diva and now Mr. Douche Bag Doogan, aka Cling On/Dingle Berry, has gone after AKM, another female blogger. Let’s think about this for a moment and try to make sense of it.
What Doogan did was just flat out WRONG.
That he was a reporter just makes it worse. People like him (and Judith Miller)are the reason I hesitate to support a Shield Law for reporters.
http://www.650keni.com/podcast/PorcaroPodcasts.xml
Mike Porcaro’s radio show to listen to; they play as .mp3′s so should work on whatever media player one has on their computer. It appears that these are from the past week, but nothing for today, 03/27/09, is posted/available as yet. Was this “journalist patting Doogan on the back” something that was broadcast on Porcaro’s show today?
Mr. Poe … I do thank you for your explanation and trying to see both sides of the coin in this matter. However, I’m still too furious about this breach by an “angry man”. Until and unless there is a heartfelt and public apology by Rep. Doogan to AKM, I’m putting money aside for AKM’s legal fund as well. Having said that, there is no amount of apology or other compensation that will make AKM “whole” again — her privacy has been violated in a most public manner.
Mr. Poe, you have disappointed me.
You have not made Doogan’s perspective clear; you have only surmised what you think his perspective is. He told you none of this.
The Supreme Court protects anonymity of published materials. Doogan has violated AKM’s Constitutional protection, attacked AKM, and spent how many taxpayer dollars in hours or days of stalking (using state computers, network assets, and Internet access) in vengeance…for what? Because AKM told the truth, and because his own verbatim words were published? Maybe he’ll get a fruit basket from Palin. Mr. Poe, you should familiarize yourself with:
Is this how you would govern if you win Palin’s spot? Pat a criminal’s hand and go, “There, there, we know things have been hard for you,” and tell the victim to thank the attacker? This is not justice, and it’s not Just Governance. It’s being a doormat and letting wrongdoers get away with anything, because they know you’ll “understand.” It’s outrageous.
AKM has not been doing this for 20 years; it’s been less than a year. In any case, even if it had been 20 years, it’s not for you to decide when someone should be kicked out of one activity into another. Your post was interesting and thoughtful for the most part until the end when, instead of summing up that all of the above might make Doogan’s actions understandable but still reprehensible and he needs to make amends, you simply hope he thinks about it. And by the way, AKM should thank him.
You, Mr. Poe, need to apologize to AKM.
Finally, Mr. Poe….Thanks for stopping by the Mudflats. If you can learn from this medium and simultaneously not feel threatened ( like Doogan and Palin ), we’d love to hear more of your ideas on taking Alaska into the 21st century.
If you have a stout heart, rock-solid character, and an open, curious mind….you’ll go far politically.
Good luck!….and deliver a swift kick to the arse of your friend Doogan from all the Mudpuppies.
I understand Mr. Poe’s point and thank him for making it. Cynicism leads to frustration which leads to anger. Mike Doogan is a man whom we all admired when he was writing for the Daily News, and now I see where frustration and despair have driven him. Do I think Doogan is wrong? Definitely. Can I feel pity for him? Yes, because as an old cynic myself, I now see the dangers of walking down that road. We all need to be careful that ur anger about what has happened here does not drive us to regrettable actions ourselves.
I have often lingered at Jonathan Swift’s tomb at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. His self-penned epitaph still serves as a good reminder: (It is in Latin, and this is my own translation) “Here I am, where savage indignation can no longer break my heart. Weary traveler: imitate me at your own risk.”
Anger has its place, but not to the point where it breaks our hearts.
Love to all of you, Maggie
Mr. Poe, I appreciate your thoughtful response. I’ll be voting for you, and I’ll feel good about it.
I’ve worked as a journalist in Alaska for a long time, and I know Doogan a little bit, and know he’s always been a pretty cocky, self-satisfied guy. But I was shocked at his actions and especially at his snide, nasty tone with people who are writing him. I’ve also been trying to figure out what would prompt him to do such an … such an .. . unAlaskan thing. (Though I guess I’m revising my ideas about what being an Alaskan means these days.)
The ethics code for the Legislature requires them to act in such a way that it creates confidence and respect in the electorate. One reason I’m so angry is that if someone who we expect to be a good guy does something like this, then do we even have any good guys in office anymore?
I don’t think he realizes how much he’s wrecked an already shaky faith in Alaska’s elected officials among so many of us. If you consider him a friend, I hope you can convey that sense of betrayal to him. I hope someday he feels ashamed at what he’s done–not just to AKM, who is three times the writer he ever was–but to Alaskans in general. He’s shamed himself, but more importantly, he’s shamed his office and Alaska.
‘and deliver a swift kick to the arse of your friend Doogan from all the Mudpuppies’
Good one Lee 323 but ‘arse’ isn’t the destination I would choose!!
AKM, Bob Poe sounds too good to be true – Alaska’s Great Hope, perhaps? Well-spoken, reasoned, patient. If any good has come about from this, besides you potentially being a guest (or fill-in host) on Rachel Maddow or Keith Olbermann, I would say it’s the words of Bob Poe. If Mike Doogan is indeed a real investigative journalist , he will eat his words, ask for your forgiveness, and work with you, AKM, to expose Sarah Palin for, as you predicted, corruption with regard to financial and oil issues.
AKM, I am not a lawyer, nor am I a journalist, yet, but I have taken a Journalism Ethics course. Snarkily, I recommend that Mr. Doogan go back to J-School.
He didn’t expose your identity for the public good, but because of a personal vendetta, that is obvious. Had Mr. Doogan sent his correspondence from a personal email account, he would have ONLY been in violation of his internet service provider’s policies. That he used state time and state facilities to do so is clearly a misuse of public office. Oops! That’s going to cost him, and so it should. He broke the law.
Think of what he did to you this way: you are going to be rolling in the dollar bills because he f’d up, and I’m only thinking of a civil suit – perhaps there are criminal charges you can pursue.
@ Women Who Run With The Wolves (20:47:55) :
I’m more inclined to think it’s Mrs Palin’s strategy to whine on videotape at every opportunity – now that she has the ability to summon up a Fox crew on demand. Her problem was multiple ethics complaints and her solution was to whine on camera. Fox would have loved it. I think gender was just a co-incidence.
Once the wall of rage subsides I think you might find that Doogan has done you a favor and only open another door of credibility to you. Your followers arent going anywhere and will only lend more support. Throwing spit from behind a rock only last for awhile. Shannon Moore being clear about her real idenity has enhanced her career and only landed her in loftier places. It may be tempting to retaliate but beware Doogan is a professional journalist 1st hense his ire and you are truly teasing the big dog.
AKM-
You are still anonymous to me. I know that what has happened will most likely create some sort of trouble for you and your family, but to most of us you are still anonymous. I am sorry that this has happened. There really was no need.
I am addressing this to Mr. Poe, as I am pretty sure everyone up in Alaska is reading this blog:
Mr. Poe, thank you for weighing in on this matter. I am so sad that this has happened and Mr. Doogan needs to take a look back at what he has done. I understand he is a former journalist. Wow! Guess his degree in journalism is as good as your Governor’s degree! Please do not let this get buried. I am prepared to contribute to your campaign against Palin. I am a Democrat in Seattle, WA and have become totally engaged with Alaska politics thanks to the beautiful and engaging writings and blogs of AKM. Shame on Doogan! I want to know, as the rest of us do, how did he find out? Who caved and who will bring this to justice? I hope you will make that effort! Was this done on state time and state computers and state resources??? Please have this investigated. We are all watching! I don’t mean that as a threat, just as a reminder.
@ Hopeful Cynic (21:11:58) :
Sarah-love is Mike Doogan’s problem. And now his Sarah-love is AKM’s problem.
This is unbelievable! Alaska has so many problems right now and this legislator is spending his time trying to find out who a blogger is? Somebody help me understand!
While reading Mr. Poe’s response, I was struck he offered excuses for his friend’s criminal behavior. Angry…former journalist; and I thought, Palin, angry…journalist degree. Wow.
I found it disturbing that his attention then turned to the world of bloggers and the silver lining waiting for AKMuckraker. Irrelevant.
Doogan’s outing of a blogger was on taxpayers’ expense. What happened to AKMuckraker’s freedom of choice? Was it Doogan’s intent to censor by intimidation AKMuckraker’s freedom of speech? Or freedom of speech of her mudpuppies? For his own personal or political gain? For Palin’s? Whatever, his actions were with malice.
Thanks for allowing me to express my opinion.
{{{{{{{{{{{{AKM}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
You write the truth……and it ends up getting the goats of the liars.
I love your writing; please keep it up….and keep exposing what’s going on in Alaska.
“What is Truth?”–Pontius Pilate
“The Truth will set you Free”–God
p.s.
Mr. Poe – I hope this rowdy bunch here tonight doesn’t scare you from continuing that gov thing! We’re really not so bad. Once in a while we even regress to 8th grade and put disgusting things in people’s lockers … (hat off to MarthaUYS)
In other words, WELCOME!
Women Who Run With The Wolves (20:47:55) :
your right on with that, Gino wants AKM shut down, she doesn’t want the lower 48 to read about her. She wants IOWA to love her , that’s (scarstically said) her 1st primary where she thinks she’ll win, no way in hell is that trollop going to even think of being my President. Talk about the anti-christ she’s it.
Just in case anyone is interested, I am adding the link to the State of AK ethics laws. You will have to copy and paste since I am unsure of how to make the link work:
http://www.law.state.ak.us/pdf/ethics/Statutes-AlaskaExecutiveBranchEthicsAct_AS39.52_.pdf
Sec. 39.52.120. Misuse of official position.
(b) A public officer may not
(1) seek other employment or contracts through the use or attempted use of official
position;
(2) accept, receive, or solicit compensation for the performance of official duties or
responsibilities from a person other than the state;
(3) use state time, property, equipment, or other facilities to benefit personal or financial
interests;
(4) take or withhold official action in order to affect a matter in which the public officer
has a personal or financial interest;
(5) attempt to benefit a personal or financial interest through coercion of a subordinate or
require another public officer to perform services for the private benefit of the public officer at
any time; or
(6) use or authorize the use of state funds, facilities, equipment, services, or another
government asset or resource for partisan political purposes; this paragraph does not prohibit use
of the governor’s residence for meetings to discuss political strategy and does not prohibit use of
state aircraft or the communications equipment in the governor’s residence so long as there is no
charge to the state for the use; in this paragraph, “for partisan political purposes”
(A) means having the intent to differentially benefit or harm a
(i) candidate or potential candidate for elective office; or
(ii) political party or group;
(B) but does not include having the intent to benefit the public interest at large through
the normal performance of official duties.
(c) In addition to other provisions of this section, a public officer who is a member of the
Board of Fisheries or the Board of Game may not act on a matter before the board if the public
officer has not disclosed in the manner set out in AS 39.52.220 all personal or financial interests
in a business or organization relating to fish or game resources.
(d) In this section, when determining whether a public officer is considered to be
performing a task on government time, the attorney general and personnel board shall consider
the public officer’s work schedule as set by the public officer’s immediate supervisor, if any.
Dear Mr. Poe:
Here is what a lawyer had to say over at Shannyn Moore’s blog (http://shannynmoore.wordpress.com/2009/03/27/my-friend-mudflats/#comments) about Mike Doogan’s using a state-owner computer and e-mail account to out Mudflats:
Judging from e-mail exchanges that have been posted to Shannyn Moore’s blog, Doogan’s mental stability – not to mention his temper – seems to be questionable at best. Please do not make excuses for this man. A civil rights prosecution, perhaps with court-ordered therapy or incarceration in a psychiatric hospital if so ruled, might be the best thing for your friend.
I get it.Mr Poe wants everyone to be ok,because he is a caring person who wants to help.He is not an angry person,he is calm and introspective,he can look for that which is hard to see.
We all know there was no good reason for the petty,despicable thing Doogan has done.He may have placed AKM in danger,as well as making her uncomfortable. But its already done.Get past the anger,take a deep breath ,and channel it.Keep up the emails,someone in Alaska please file a complaint ,this is obviously a breach of ethics using his office this way.Jeanne-get an attorney,file a lawsuit.Help Mr Poe get elected,he seems to have insight into the individuals in the Government that is lacking from GINO.Dont lose sight of GINO-these distractions may be a part of a plan,Gino may have been working to stir things up and distract-she needs to have another ethical charge filed for using her office to harrass and ridicule citizens.
And Jeanne—You have talent.I always wanted to be a writer,never had the education or maybe not the courage,but you have it all.You connect with people.We listen.We respond.You make us think,and not in a bad way.You have singlehandedly(with the help of serverguy) brought together young and old,men and women,educated ,elite,redncks,trailer trash,rich,poor,shy,outgoing,you name it,a microcosm of the United States.From all states across the union and from across sea in neigbors near and far.
Get safe,breath deep,and I hope you plunge in with both feet.Stay here with us,maybe go farther afield to.Be heard.You are a writer now,an author,a journalist.You have made important people stand up and take notice,you made them think,you made them blink. You can’t turn back,its in your blood. Go for it,baby!! Makes us all proud!!
Mr. DoBeGone, I’d like you to meet ‘Twitter’, ‘Twitter’ meet Mr. DoBegone. Mikey, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet. It’s changing so fast, unless you change too, you’ll be left behind choking on the dust.
In the meantime, you have joined the ranks of that unhappy little prune-faced man, Bob Novak, who outed the undercover agent. Something to be proud of. NOT!
Mr. Poe, I thank you for taking time to write a thoughtful response to this whole debacle. I do take exception to the ‘she’ll thank him some day’, but only mildly.
However, I think the problem is that you are trying to explain something from the governmental/journalist point of view which is extremely out of touch with how Americans really think. This has been displayed to me over and over again whenever I watch traditional media, or read it. There is a groupthink that leaves little room for naysayers.
This is one of the reasons that traditional media is dying out. When I scan the news, it holds little relation to the world I actually know. Blogs, on the other hand, are more likely to reflect my reality. In addition, bloggers (at least liberal bloggers) are held accountable for their misstatements. I have seen updates within minutes of an original post.
Mike Doogan is a bitter man. I have read the e-mails he’s sent to various constituents, and it’s clear that he has nothing but contempt for them. I am used to politicians being arrogant, lazy, devious, venal, etc., but I still don’t like it. Not only did he use taxpayers’ time and money to out AKM, he didn’t even consider the consequences of his actions. He, like your governor, has cloaked himself in a coat of indignant righteousness from behind which he has committed an atrocious deed.
Again, I thank you for taking time try to dissect just what the heck Mike Doogan was thinking. However, it is not enough.
this GINO is a problem for the UNITED STATES not just Alaska, there has to be some way for
the People of Alaska to get rid of her and if we have to help down here we will. gino is not just alaska’s problem , she’s all 50 of our states problem , OT not really Gino’s behind this, What a mess this really is, Gino’s like a rabit rattlesnake, she bites anyone that might step on her. Christian Conservative ?never really knew what SATAN was but I do now.
What doogan did today is WRONG!
That being said, I have to admit that from the very first day I joined this blog back on the day the Gino was announced as running mate to McCann, I have admired AKM and grew to love this blog. Making it a must read every morning as well as becoming a pj clad late night regular. At my age, sleepless nights are fine with me as I learn so much searching the Internet. I have always secretly believed AKM was a women and was ever so inclined to want to KNOW, I was right. I often delighted in imagining that Clark or Clara Kent would rip off the business suit or pj’s, showing off the Super Hero duds and informing us all the “real world” identity. Yet, respecting the Super Anon Blogger forum, I left the timing of the outing up to the author of the Blog.
As I read through the posts tonight I’m tempted to ask all Anon Bloggers to step forward and admit that Poe and doogan have it totally wrong, they may think they know who AKM is, but really don’t have a clue. As our Super Hero’s identity is much harder to find than even they realized because of the millions of possibilities…I will just say it, like the TV show host in the 60′s, “will the real AKM please step forward?”
Only if you want to…
What ever you choose to do AKM, now that one of your choices appears to have been taken away…though I’m sure pouring the wine back in the bottle is a bit tricky, it can be done….anything is possible in cyber space and on Super Hero blogs.
I support you whatever your choice is now. I will even send a few $$ to help in whatever way you need it. Rest, recover and let us know what we can do to support you.
Reminding others of the donation button on right margin. $$’s are always the right color and the right size and can be put to use in the right way by the right people and AKM is the “Rightest” Super blogger I know tonight.
Mr Poe was very nice of you to e-mail and to respond to some of the post.I think I have mentioned to others that I live out of state but Have family up in Alaska that have lived their for over 35 years so I kind of keep up with visits once in awhile ,phone calls and Blogging.From this site I get some real imput without all the spin that the media puts on things. Look at GVS and her husband and the spin they have put out.The door that was opened can not be close. This writer was outed and from the political climate up their at this time and the threats coming from some in the valley from anyone not pro palin it puts people and their families at risk and this man thought nothing of puting a persons name out their so the thugs could come around..A small Blogg in Texas is going thru a similar thing but the owner uses her real name it is the posters that attorneys are trying to get in court just because they support someone the attorney and his client do not rosespeaks.com if any one cares to take a peek it is a blogg about criminal cases .I did send a- e-mail to Mr Doogle and let him know how very wrong I thought he was
Will Rogers: “I guess truth can hurt you worse in an election than about anything that can happen to you”. (Mr DoBeGone would do well to chew on this little nugget of wisdom).
Or perhaps he’s more in tune with the other party….”Politics would be a helluva good business if it weren’t for the goddamned people”……Richard M. Nixon.
Are we, ‘the goddamned people’, in the way of some of these politicos?
I think this happens to bloggers more than we know – someone gets a vendetta against them and attacks them or their readers. It has happened to me and several people I know on other blogs. What Bill O’Reilly did last week is very similary – stalking a blogger who was on her private vacation.
But let’s face facts. Someone will come out of the woodwork to hate you if you tell the truth and don’t back down. People despise anyone who is brave. It just goes with the territory of the blogosphere, but no one should ever run from it or the Trolls win.
By the way Muckraker ~ we have the same first name.
That proves what I’ve felt from the beginning – we are not only soulmates but distant cousins.
Mike Doogan used state time and state facilities to do what he did, clearly a misuse of public office.
Mr Poe, while I do take issue with your making excuses for Doogan, I wanted to say–since I haven’t as yet– that I do appreciate your taking the time to drop by and especially to reply here in the comments.
That said, we Mudpuppies hold our elected officials to a higher standard and tolerate no equivocating on ethical matters. Doogan stepped over the line and put another black mark on Alaska politics.
I can see that many here think you are a different kind of politician. I hope that time proves them right and that you will be as strong a champion for your state as AKM has been. You could start by severing your ties to the toxic Doogan.
Nice post. I heartily agree with Mr. Poe.
So Mudflats may have a lawsuit?
Just wondering here, Mudflats– what has this done for your readership?
Doogan is a jerk and I think you may get a job working for his opponent in the next election if he has the audacity to run!
I don’t know if this comment will be printed or not.l hope it will. I comment elsewhere on the internet but have nothing to add here but my admiration.If I am exposed by some idiot so be it I cannot keep silent. I found this place by accident when some dumb as a shoe woman from a crooked socialist place called Alaska threatened to become a person who could become the President and affect me and my family. What I found out by stopping in here (at first a couple of times a week and lately three or four times a day waiting for AKM to wake up) was that there were wonderful things and wonderful people who lived in Alaska. I saw pictures of a moose I saw pictures of a volcano I read lively comments from all over the world talking to real Alaskan people who were plenty smart and very interesting and sometimes went hungry. Last week I added Bob Poe to my Facebook and we will see how that goes. This Doogan person is the reason I don’t need to buy anymore newspapers. I haven’t been interested in much more than the want ads since the late nineties and now I wouldn’t waste my time or money with that either. Why should I pay for lies and press releases faxed over from the government? I’m 60 years old and I did not need to go to 6 colleges to graduate with degree in Journalism. I can make that crack because of time I spent here learning about Palin and her way of doing things. I can talk to people here on the East Coast about Palin who don’t have real time, real people information about her and the crooked way politics works in Alaska. Lord knows the “journalists” don’t care to give any serious critiques of her husband Todd’s governing style or much of any thing else. Doogan is an idiot who belongs in jail for what he did. I suspect he is in bed with Sarah or Fox news has promised him something fool that he is. Really truly this place was a quietly entertaining window into a calm and well reasoned point of view. If it has been destroyed then it needs to rise up again maybe from one of you good Alaskans channeling for her. I will miss her photos most of all I think. God, I am so angry at this loss but I do know who to blame and will throw my extra money accordingly. Shadows is the evil jealous place Doogan lives in everyday.
AKM, I am sorry to read about what has happened to you. I live in Hawaii and have turned to your site numerous times a day to keep informed of life up there in Alasaka. I found you, like so many others, when Palin was picked as McCain’s running mate. I find your posts informative and humorous. I learned about the food shortage thru your efforts and have been so impressed by how many people, from all over the country and world, have responded with boxes of food. (My son’s 2nd grade class organized had a food drive and we sent 13 boxes of food up to Nunam Iqua and Pilot Point.) All because of your good work and words. I hope you can find a way thru this. I hope you can continue your blog. So many people have come to rely on you for insight into a world we never knew.
I think that we need to chill on Mr Poe….This is AKMs blog and s/he posted this so I must assume that s/he approved the post.
thinking of you AKM….and family
I think “thanks” are a little premature now; but maybe after you have secured your (way distant) retirement with the big fat settlement your civil suit is going to bring you for his violation of your civil rights!
Seriously Jeanne you need a lawyer and a good one; we need to get the word out to everyone we know this was a vindictive act and used State resources.
Sorry I’m going to repeat some of the things I wrote over at S. Moore’s site because I couldn’t get on here earlier.
This is a clear violation of your freedom of speech and your right to privacy! You have probably heard of the Autoadmit case; if not rather than having me explain it you can google it ..This is bigger by far.
I am suggesting you contact some good constitutional scholars who are also Bloggers i.e. Jonathan Turley, Patrick at Popehat; or Marc Randazza at the Legal Satyricon they may be able to help or at least point you in the right direction.
They also litigate cases.
Please know you have the support of thousands and your work here has value!
Also if doodoo is so keen on outing sources who was his?
I hope that AKM will sue – she should – but I think she may have been blindsided by all the attention. Not that she’s an idiot – far from it – she’s as sharp as a tack. Such a good writer. I hope she doesn’t give up. I want her to sue the no minds, but that’s just what I think. http://www.mudflats.com
I found this on EPIC Archives regarding “Internet providers” disclosing anon. bloggers – not sure if really applies – seems if Mr Doogan felt he was “defamed” by comments made on this blog – he should have sought recourse in the legal courts — not by personal vendetta of “outing AKM”
Much less with using government time & equipment to enact his revenge.
read more @ http://epic.org/free_speech/
I always loose my “block quotes”
“Anonymity
“Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority … It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights, and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation–and their ideas from suppression–at the hand of an intolerant society.”
In three cases, spanning from 1960 to 1999, the Supreme Court has reaffirmed the principle that sacrificing anonymity “might deter perfectly peaceful discussions of public matters of importance.”
Anonymity–the ability to conceal one’s identity while communicating–enables the expression of political ideas, participation in the government process, membership in political associations, and the practice of religious belief without fear of government intimidation or public retaliation.
Disclosure laws have been upheld only where there is a compelling government interest at stake, such as assuring the integrity of the election process by requiring campaign contribution disclosures.
Anonymity has been an appealing characteristic for the majority of Internet users. Individuals are able to post to message boards, visit chatrooms, and browse informational sites without revealing their identity. This anonymity allows those engaged in unpopular, controversial, or embarrassing activity to seek and disseminate information without sacrificing their privacy or reputations. However, this anonymity is increasingly being threatened as civil litigants have begun using the discovery process to pierce the veil of online anonymity. Since 1998, innumerable civil defamation lawsuits have been filed against “John Doe” defendants by plaintiffs allegedly harmed by anonymous Internet postings.
Current law permits any civil litigant to allege defamation and bring a civil suit. If the subpoena is approved by the court, the ISP must disclose the individual’s name before the statement is proven defamatory. This enables companies to use the discovery process to intimidate anonymous users.
In the first appellate decision to address the issue, a New Jersey appeals court established stringent procedural and evidentiary standards that must be met before the identity of an anonymous online poster can be disclosed through litigation. The court recognized the constitutional right to communicate anonymously and refused to order the identification of a “John Doe” speaker who had posted comments on a Yahoo! message board. “
If this is true what a HYPOCRITE. While aimlessly crusin’ thru cyberspace…just checking out other sites in regards to this story, I found myself on Progressive Alaksa. While reading the comment section, I came across a post from an anonymous blogger that said that Doogan used to blog anonymously under the name Billy Muldoon.
So I googled Billy Muldoon and I did find one blogger who used to blog at tribalfires.blogspot.com. Can’t really say for sure if it’s Doogan or not but here’s what was written under his profile:
Name: Billy Muldoon
Age: 34
Gender: male
Astorlogical sign: Leo
Zodiac Year: Tiger
Occupation: Provocation
Location: Spenard:AK:USA
About me: A bathrobed voice of reason soothing a grateful nation in these troubled times.
Interests: Slim jims Mountain Dew trailer parks Wal Mart terrycloth
Favorite Movies: Big Lebowski
Favorite Movies: Sugar Chile Robinson Wesley Willis The Fugs
Favorite Book: Hell on Wheels
Also at Progressive AK, there is a great picture of Doogan holding a big glass of something with what appears to be an umbrella in it.
A lot of the stuff in this profile doesn’t seem to jive this being Doogan (age,occupation). But who hasn’t lied on a personal profile? The location is right. Maybe someone with greater computer sleuthing skills than I have can find out more, but I found it verrrry interesting.
Every website I visited Daily KOS, HuffPo, Progressive AK, Shannyn Moore, Celtic Diva, and NCBlue are all overwhelming in support of AKM. So keep your chin up, girl, there are a lot of folks out there rooting for ya’. I think most of them will be by Mudflats to offer their support. Many were having trouble getting onto the site due to high volumn of traffic.
There are people thinking that he (doogone) joined the Palin army. When he found out AKM’s identity, he could have called her and had a chuckle. What reason did he have to go public?
Mr. Poe, thanks for your concerned input but you do not seem to understand the gravity of the situation. I am mad as hell and fuming because the most intellectual, informative, insightful. witty, truthful, eye-opening and truly remarkable political blog has been interrupted, shut down and brought to a screeching halt because an uninformed, caught up in the past, radical, micro-mental midget, with psychoitic rabid reasoning and jealousy who poses as a public servant, decides to invade on a person of great integrity because he’s never been able to check his anger and try to bring harm to her and her family. This cretin, who you try to lessen his crime by trying to convince us that the horror he has tried to bring to AKM and her family is not as bad as we think is horrendous. Maybe I am being selfish, but I resent the fact that a person who I have the most utmost respect for is having to make a decision about her future and her family’s because Doo-doo decides he wants to make her identity known for purely selfish and vengeful reasons. I am pi$$ed because Doo-doo not only took something vital from AKM and her family but he robbed this political community of truth, sanity, humanity, humor and a sense of purpose, just to name a few things, because my anger is blocking all the other things I want to say. Doo-doo stole our light and our belief that the world still has some hope. I resent this with all my being!! I swear, I will not rest until this Sarah Palin puppet is unveiled for the hypocrite that he is. I am sorry Mudpups I just had to rant! Im done!!
I’ve just been reading the comments at dkos. Very interesting legal stuff towards the bottom of the page.
And it occurred to me that of course Doogan won’t be seeking reelection again. He’s old now, and by that time will be ready for a fat pension.
Can he not be gotten rid of now?
Because of the last line about “thanks” I’m going to repeat part of my post on the outing announcemnt page – I don’t suggest saying thanks like Mr. Poe does, but I know what he means. He means, this is just going to open a whole new world for you.
And ’cause like everybody here I just want to help in some way, I want to say this again, in case it got lost in the shuffle – While this is painful now, Doogan, cad that he might be (I honestly don’t know much about him but his outing action seems vindictive), is actually doing a deed that will turn in your favor in the long run. And quite possibly sooner than you think. Funny, that’s how energy works. Doogie tries to somehow put a clamp on you, and you’ll just be empowered.
I predict you will now move onto a bigger stage. Your ideas will be even more celebrated, and now that you have a “face” you will move into other media including television to bring your clever wit and opinions to an even wider audience. And this will be just as you are needed most, because there are more battles ahead in 2010 and 12. Who knows, maybe you should even run for office. A real blogger turned politician! Now there’s the next wave of new media for ya! Whatever you choose Mudflats, You will take this turn of events and you will Fly, Baby, Fly, and you will only be moving on to the bigger and the better.
One day you will look back and say, funny, I would have never have chosen that to happen, but it ended up being a good thing. Very good.
I have total faith in you, in your message and in your future, so here’s a roasted coffee blogger toast, to “Mudflats – And Beyond”!
My feeling is AKM isn’t the type of person, being a loving family person, to want to spend years in court. Some real sharp pro-bono civil rights activist attorney would have to jump on it on a percentage. I just don’t think AKM would want that much publicity. Bless her heart. We heart her.
AK may not want to file a lawsuit; it is a lot of stress and effort, and what would she gain? However, ANY Alaskan citizen could file an ethics complaint. : )
@ Polly (23:03:35) :
I’m thinking AKM will be fighting off a bunch of very good lawyers. Ideally, I would want AKM to get stinking rich and “put the grandkids through college” out of this. I would contribute to that.
But in the same way that Walt Monegan refused to sue the State, AKM might want to focus on just living a happy life – and we have to respect and support that. Even if AKM never posts again, and Mudflats fades into history, we have to support that.
It’s near midnight Friday Alaska time. It’s Saturday dusk here. I’m saying a prayer for AKM and family, a prayer for peaceful sleep.
Goodnight, AKM, I will support whatever decision you make, any day you make it.
Well said, Aussie.
mhrtNo Gravatar (22:32:19) : I think that we need to chill on Mr Poe….This is AKMs blog and s/he posted this so I must assume that s/he approved the post.
thinking of you AKM….and family
AKM put the post up without comment. In other words, AKM wants to know what we think.
NYLindaNo Gravatar (22:28:06) :
Loved your comments! Looking forward to more…
Hey, let’s find out Douche Bag Doogan’s ‘anonymous blogger’ handle – and really expose him! See how he likes it….
After all, he must abide by his own ‘public policy’ standards!
Go, Mudflatters!
Good night AKM, You are our our integrity and have made us be fair and compassionate with our comments, no matter what the subject was. Thanks for pulling our awareness up on being respectful but at the same time to be truthful and factual. You have changed our lives for the better and I think that I speak for most Mudpuppies. Thanks AKM for this most wonderful and inspiring experience. I will respect whatever decision you come to, but (selfishly) I dont want you to go anywhere. Mudpups need you and we will do whatever to keep you as our leader and source of truth. Rest now and contemplate Hugs and hearts!!!
Mike Doogan is just another mental midget posing as a politician who has shredded the public trust for his own titillation.
His violation of public trust and sheer stupidity and uncaring about First Amendment rights is breath taking. That he poses as a Democrat is even more crushing.
One of the reasons people gather at Mudflats is to look to hope, to solutions and not to the sickness that Doogan represents. He is no Morrow. He is Joe McCarthy.
I want him held accountable and not fobbed off with “the devil made him do it.” I believe that devil may be alcohol and an empty life.
AKM : You are a great story teller.
I am not from your country.
I really enjoy reading your posts and would really miss not having this to look
forward to.
I’ll bet if you had studied journalism it would not have taken you 6 collages
to get your degree.
I wish you well for the future. Selfishly I hope you don’t give The Mudflats
away. Maureen in Australia
Jeanne: I have been a daily reader of your blog since I happened upon it last fall. While I’m sure it was easier for you to do the blog anonymously, certainly you knew at some point your real identity would be exposed. In politics, people can be really ugly. Now that your real identity is known to the world, all I can say is don’t quit now. Otherwise, the forces of darkness will win. My guess is that you will now have more support than ever before due Doogan’s massive faux paus. Please keep up the great work; we’re all with you.
Before people cheer on the lemonade result of this event, keep in mind the real danger to AKM and her family. I believe that Doogan should have to pay for her security, the cost of changing phones, and any other costs incurred by his little ego lift.
well said, Aussie. I’ve been reading over on the forum and catching up on many of the other supportive blogs, so now I’ll turn in to dream of a new and better day for AKM….and all the Mudpuppies…tomorrow.
Mr. Poe,
I appreciate your posts and your support for AKM, however, the excuse that Dooodlegum may harbor resentments because he’s an “old-time” journalist falls really flat. Those journalists depended heavily on anonymous sources for their stories- and still do. How much corruption would have gone unnoticed and unpublished without the anonymous whistleblowers who couldn’t risk their jobs, their families, and their lives to tell the truth themselves? Example – Deep Throat. How many reporters have gone to jail to avoid reveling their sources? When Mr. Doobad was writing for the “real newspapers,” did he publish the names of his anonymous sources? Because by remaining anonymous they must be KKK? I sincerely doubt it. There is no excuse for him, although I do understand why you are trying to understand his motives. He has clearly violated the 1st Amendment in a most reprehensible way. He can not be allowed to get away with this.
BTW – I absolutely agree with the analysis submitted by Phoenix Woman. I also wish I was licensed in Alaska. I would be glad to help. I get the feeling you will have no trouble finding local legal counsel to help you if you are a mind to go after Mr. Doogan.
In agreement with at least 2 previous comments (apologizing for not having the focus to specifically identify the posters), AKM is still a yellow boot wearing, window washing Brian watching anonymous blogger to me. She/he can go back to anonymity as far as the ambience of the blog if she/he chooses.
The outing is bad enough coming from a frustrated, angry Doogan. It just seems like something more nefarious is going on…..the relationship between Doogan and Palin and all. (Mike Doogan remarked that his ‘outing’ action was related to Sarah Palin.) Did I understand that Doogan used the wrong name for AKM? If so, does he know the right name? ‘Cause if he does, the name has no doubt been added to SP’s haters list, intimidation to follow.
I just don’t want elected officials to get away with unethical/possibly illegal intimidation and inciting intimidation…especially, in light of Sarah Palin’s insistence that Alaskan’s hold her, the reformer, accountable. “Hold me accountable, Alaskans, but include your names so I can silence you and make you very, very, very, super sorry.”
Mr. Poe, how would you protect AK citizens and AKM, in particular, from elected officials? Alaskans, what would happen if no was afraid of the Palins?
AKM, I love the Mudflats!
Thank you Mr Poe from England. If AKM stops blogging I for one would be very, very sorry.
What Doogan did was spiteful, self important and most probably illegal. He thought he was being clever. Hopefully he doesn’t feel quite so clever today. Maybe he didn’t realise the reach of our wonderful AKM, and her witty, insightful blog.
Maybe he is one of those men who just doesn’t understand those tubey thingies.
You are correct that the internet has changed the way we all garner our information. Newspapers are wonderful but they have to adapt to the new order, as everything does. I see them going more online and charging small subscription fees. Good news for trees.
You are also correct that MSM is less trustworthy these days, I blame Rupert Murdochs ilk and the way the press/cable spins the news to their owner bias. I would rather listen to Jon Stewart or Colbert, how much of an indictment is that.
I hope you can encourage AKM and let her know how valuable she is as a writer, and a person. She will need friends right now as Doogan has put her in a position of vulnerability with the vengeful Sarah Palin, who unleashes vitriol on anyone who disagrees with her.
There is definitely plenty of muck around Alaskan politics right now. Although “the” AKM put herself on the line and provided this forum, I hope that Doogan and others railing against the “anonymous bloggers” realize there is actually more than just one person–we are all a little bit AKM, and we have a strong community here now.
Just another Alaskan mud raker..
I am not local to the area there so I do not know if the Yahoo address for Deltic Diva (that one of her bashers posted ) is still open or active. People close to her might know.
I emailed her at the yahoo account before i read this story on Mudflats. It really seems like too much of a coincidence that this is happening while Faux news is in town..?
In my email to Celtic Diva (I’m not sure if she got it though..?)I mentioned I had emailed some other shows or blogs (and this was before this story broke) which might expose what Palin and Fox had done.Someone close to her might confirm whether she got it..? Others may contact these people as well because more voices will create a buzz and some action maybe.
I first notified HuffPo (with a story idea ), I emailed the “Eye on Palin” group, Rachel Maddow and then The Daily Kos. The ‘ Eye on Palin’ folks have already used resources and money (and don’t like her) I figured they might step up again… Maybe even a NEW Video? A nice professionally produced vid could be picked up by others and get coverage on the MSM Shows. CNN showed the video last time along with commentary…. and since Fox is beating them in the ratings, it would make sense they would want to embarrass Fox in the process with stories.
Talk among everybody and decide if this will work to get the message out to the media. ( and see if Celtic Diva got the email… she may be monitoring or turning off email messages)
I read about a gathering of folks in Juneau to meet with doo-doo-doogan and others, I hope everyone who can go goes to demonstrate their support for AKM and our freedom of speech. If I could I would i live in NY I haven’t seen it posted here…does everyone know about this meeting????
This story has hit the recommended list at Daily Kos.
Mr. Doogan, you know you are reading this post, I suggest you follow the link I will provide, and read the comments from this democratic movement. You won’t like them, YOU WON’T LIKE THEM AT ALL!!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/3/27/713917/-AK-state-rep-Doogan-outs-Mudflats!
Mr. Doogan, you also have this to look forward to -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect
Bob Poe,
Thank you so much for being willing to engage with us here and for your ability to explain your point of view without descending into childishness. If only all politicians (naming no names, AHEM) were able to respond in such a reasoned, adult way! I for one hope to see you go on to great things.
AKM,
Jeanne is a beautiful name for a writer with a real gift. I hope that whatever you decide to do now, you won’t give up the writing. Your writing is always engaging, often very funny, and some of your posts (e.g. on the Exxon spill) have been so poignant that they actually made me cry. I am another one in the UK, and never thought I would care what happens in Alaska, but your blog made me feel that I was right there in the middle of things. Write a book (you know we would all of us buy it), write anything you choose, but please don’t stop writing. There are so many mediocre writers out there, we need the good ones to balance them out!
And Jo, you are absolutely right. Just as soon as my next pay packet comes in, the handsome face of Brian the Moose will be winging its way over the Atlantic from the Mudflats shop to me…
Like many people, I came across The Mudflats when trying to find out more about Sarah Palin last summer. I found a well-written, witty, insightful, polite and gentle blog about Alaskan politics with comments from an international community of intelligent people. This in stark contrast to many other political blogs which are characterised by their vituperative and ill-researched ponderings.
It didn’t matter to me if AKM preferred to pen her thoughts anonymously. Indeed, given that AKM doesn’t incite people to violence or acts of hate but rather encourages them to use the democratic tools available to them why shouldn’t she remain anonymous ? AKM is not a professional journalist but an Alaskan resident, clearly passionate about both her State and its politics, who has used her blog to state her views and invite comment and debate from her readers. It was her choice to be anonymous and that choice is protected by the Constitution of the USA.
Doogan’s actions are reprehensible and vindictive. He has attempted to break a butterfly upon a wheel.
We have all been reading AKM’s diary, or journal, and it is not her fault how popular she became–or that Mr. Doogan (such a funny name) got upset over it. The fact that he somehow found out her identity and “exposed” her is creepy. It gives me a really bad feeling. Should be we pitching in to get her a security gaurd? (one that won’t scare Brian away). I just have an eerie feeling about all of this. Maybe it’s just me.
((((((AKM))))) So sorry this is happening to you. It isn’t right.
I feel fortunate to have found your blog and check in several times a day – and recently signed up at the forums too. It is true that blogs are becoming a more valid news source than the msm/newspapers – just consider the last presidential press conf and the “reporters” going after ‘gotchas’ to create news instead of reporting it to us! AKM’s posts are always well written, well documented and tell it like it is. The Audacity of Sarah thinking she could be a heart beat away from the Oval Office without people asking about her, researching and writing about her and GASP, expecting her to actually answer a question! Thank-you AKM for allowing us to get to know Alaska and its people and politics.
And for introducing us to Brian:)) Also. Too.
Mr. Poe, with all due respect, will that be YOUR governing style should you be elected? “Nevermind, let’s just move on, nothing more to see here Folks” style?
While I can appreciate your need, Mr. Poe, to rationalize the motives of a small, vicious, jealous has-been “writer” because he’s a friend of yours, I think you’re misunderstanding some of the anger being felt here on the flats.
I believe the crux of this matter is that Doogan is angry because AKM wasn’t even aspiring to be a “writer”. She put her thoughts in a blog, and in less than a year, perhaps 10-months, thousands of people from all over the world were running to read every missive she wrote – several times a day – begging her to write books. Laughing & loving her wit and chomping for more!
Doogan, on the other hand, could only write snarky obnoxious emails to his constituents. Doesn’t sound like his former journalism was in as much demand either, back when he worked for the news.
It’s been a while since I’ve pulled up your website Mr. Poe, since you started your campaign. But don’t YOU have kids? Weren’t YOU a school teacher? While perhaps people are supposed to feel encouraged because AKM has been forced to a higher level, what about HER kids? Can’t let them step out front to play for fear of Faux News reporters mowing them down to take pictures? Or some rabid critter from those crazy wingnut blogs screaming hate at them? No, what this Rep. Doogan has done in his pettiness bears NO excuses.
I’ve already hit the Donate “Progress this Blog” button, and sincerely hoping AKM hires an excellent lawfirm. This sort of miscarriage of justice cannot get slid under the carpet. If AKM chooses not to go that route, at least the donations might “help” to make up for potential job/income losses.
Even before I moved to Alaska six years ago I thought Mike Doogan offered a view of Alaska and Alaskan politics that was refreshing. The Republicans and the oil service companies ruled the roost then (maybe they still do) and Doogan was speaking “truth to power.” I was glad that Doogan ran for the State House and won. Doogan has some good ideas especially when it comes to “open government” but once elected he didn’t jump on the band wagon and become the leader I thought he would be, when he was a candidate. Mike Doogan since he was elected has never been the “go to guy” he could have been. What happened? Dunno and I’m not going to speculate (unlike many here, including Mr. Poe, who I think are simply grasping at straws). I do think that Doogan committed the political equivalent of “Hari Kari” (ritual “political” suicide) yesterday when he outed AKM (Mudflats). Doogan is a smart cookie – did he know what he was doing; perhaps only time will tell?
I have expressed my outrage to Mr. Doogan. What a coward he must be.
Doogan was just as evil and stupid as Malkin when he published AKM’s name. Vile things happened to those folks who were named on Malkin’s blog. If any thing bad happens to AKM, you can blame Doogan and his childish vengeance.
What an ass.
Sorry Mr. Poe, you can lay blame a failing industry all you want but Doogan alone is responsible for his actions and ANY actions that follow. Just because Doogan is upset he is out of the real game and his first love is dying due to its own irrelevance is no reason to excuse his actions.
Quite acting like Officer Barbrady and open your eyes to the actions of your “friend”. There IS something to see here!
Well I came to mudflats last night to check the latest on the Mt Redoubt, newest eruption ( reported as a 2 liner with little info on cable news)
Last read about here, the Chevron tank farm was on the verge of being breached by the Drift River flooding.
How timely that AK Muckraker was, ( for the moment I hope not for long), silenced!
WHAT IS happening with the tank farm?
Is there any connection or is my tinfoil hat too tight?
( Sorry I haven’t been following AK politics that carefully, once bush, cheney, palin, mccain were no longer a threat to my immediate wellbeing, I have shut out most political discourse to forward a long awaited and overdue break in my own life.)
WHAT IS happening with the tank farm?
Well it seems that Mudflats won’t let me post my URL here. So….
Try doing a google search on the terms CityKid, Ptarmigan Nest, oil, “Drift River”
Some sort of a spam filter here.
IG wrote:
This was Doogan’s response to my emails to him last night.
*Whoa, (my name). Not one but two insulting emails? You must be really upset.*
Alaska is a pretty small place, Doogan knows that. That’s what I find so incomprehensible about his behavior. Perhaps he plans to spend the rest of his life hiking alone.
Sleep tight mudpuppies – I know I will (and pleasant dreams too).
AKM…
pause…
breath deeply…
do Rachel Maddow…
run for office in AK … replace Doggiedoo or absent SWSNBN Palin…
thanks!
BTW: what has happened is a SERIOUS criminal offense here in Germany…
from David, not from ‘The Night Kitchen’ Forum… direct!
Tell Mr. Doogan to look at the pictures at palinspeytonplace.com
and do some more investigating.
so Mr. doogan is a sleuth. Tell him to look at the pictures at palinspeytonplace.com especially the ones with the OB/GYN comments and he’ll have another mystery to solve.
Correction – the mystery is solved. He’ll have another person to “out” and this one REALLY NEEDS “OUTTING” BIG TIME.
WHILE HE’S AT IT TELL HIM TO LOOK AT AUDREY’S SITE TOO.
Better yet, why doesn’t everyone print out the pictures at palinspeyton place and send hard copies to Mr. Doogan to get his attention?
AK you once told me in private that you don’t discuss “the baby” for fear it will lead to legal action that will expose you.
We’ll as Audrey said yesterday – The gloves are off.
Go Girl. Tell us about the baby – babies and GINO et al.
Where is Keith when we need him?
Last thought. Please post how we reach Mr. Doogan. I mean – let’s have his home address and phone number.
Mr. Poe
Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
That what Mike did was done with malice is indicated by his broadcasting of AMK’s identity. He is an elected official with a moral responsibility to serve the public. AKM and all of us at the Mudflats are a part of the public he serves.
AKM and her readers are members of the public, and do not bear the same burden of public service or of “accountability” or transparency as those who work for them.
In stalking AKM to find her identity and then broadcasting it, Mike has grievously betrayed his professional obligation and betrayed the public trust as a Public Servant, that he accepted when he accepted his office.
His journalistic background is no excuse. He should be aware that many writers have written using pen names. As a journalist he was paid a salary and enjoyed the status of a public figure. The bloggers like AKM are not employed by “news organizations,” they get no monetary compensation achieve no public status. They are “private” citizens expressing opinions and sharing thoughts with a family of commenters.
Mike does not seem to see the very different circumstances of professional journalists, who are accountable to their editors, and private bloggers who are accountable to themselves and, if they choose, to their readers and commenters.
He certainly is egregiously mistaken if the thinks that the level of “accountability” of private citizens and the accountability of public figures, especially elected officials are even remotely equivalent.
Your specific points are well made. I am glad you included “Bloggers are more transparent because they are upfront about their biases. Readers trust themselves to be able to weigh these and to glean a balanced view from what they read.”
Those in power love the excuse, that lack of transparency is justified because the public is too ignorant to understand, so just don’t let them know about the dirty back room deals. So Mike’s very public assault of a private citizen’s personal blog is stunningly hypocritical.
Anyone who read AKM’s blog knows that it was factually right on. Her blog, was immeasurably important in informing the electorate of this Democratic nation of facts concerning a Vice Presidential Candidate.
Those facts, made available by Alaska’s bloggers literally changed the history of this Nation with Truths, that would otherwise have remained below the radar of the main stream media. Alaska should be giving these people medals. Instead some of Alaska’s public serpents (yes, ser – p – ents) slime them at every turn.
Additionally anyone who read AKM’s blog knows that we Mudpuppies were constantly researching points, and giving links to sites that could corroborate their and AKM’s points. We sought the truth and sought facts and were willing to take the trouble to find them.
AKM’s commenters, though we are mostly libruls and pergressors, are literate, articulate and not afraid to use the tools of the internet to seek facts and to share them and to accept them.
In conclusion – Mike your are a very small twit of a man. I hope the public you are supposed to be serving holds you accountable for your attack on their corporate right to remain private.
Oh yeah, and remember anyone your deal with, anyone you pass on the street who recognizes you may be an anonymous blogger. Every time you step on an elevator, every time you open your mouth, there may be an anonymous blogger listening. You never know these days. They are everywhere.
I agree with SusanD. Network news isn’t work watching. And further when I have flipped through the *news* channels at the beginning of the *news* I’m finding more and more than it seems like ALL the them (abc, cbs, nbc, fox) have been written by the same person. Same words, same stories, same no news.
As for this doogin person, I’m not an Alaskan. BUT he violated someone’s privacy for what? spite? and I’m willing to help get rd of him in his next election bid. WE don’t need people like him *representing* any of us.
When it comes time for the elections and you have a viable opponent let us know. I live on a fixed income but still found money to help the villages, I can find a little more to help.
“And, that she thanks Mike Doogan for kicking her forward into the next stage for The Mudflats.”
I’m sorry, but I just don’t agree that what Mike Doogan did was kick AKM forward “to the next stage”. Stage One: Anonymous Writing; Stage Two: Writing Under Your Real Name…. That’s just not how it is. Most of the time when someone told me that “One day you’ll thank me for this…”, the person making that remark had my best interests at heart. Whatever the consequences, I don’t think that AKM owes Mike Doogan a thank you – what he did was spiteful and mean-spirited – when we start having to thank people for that kind of behavior, let me know; I’ll pack my bags for the monastery.
Terise (12:44:06) :
I just wrote to Mike Doogan and got a response only minutes later. Someone is a little defensive.
Here it is:
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 1:07 PM
To: Rep. Mike Doogan
Subject: Bloggers
Rep. Doogan,
I have never in my life written to a Representative before but I feel
compelled now.
I don’t understand why you felt the need to “out” the writer of the Mudflats
Blog, but in my book your actions are about on the level of Eddie Burke
releasing phone number over the air.
I know you don’t feel it, but I just have to say it – Shame on you!!!
Terise n’ha Caitriona
Anchorage, Alaska
Sent Friday, March 27, 2009 1:10pm
So you subscribe to the theory that someone can make relentless attacks on a public figure while hiding her identity? Defend that position if you can.
27
03
2009
===================================
To Bob Poe,
The above exchange between a voter and Rep. Doogan, happened shortly after “the news” of AKMs’ outing. In fact it was the first one posted on the Mudflats.
In two sentences, Rep Doogan ;
1: lies…………………..AKM did not engage in “relentless attacks” against a public figure. When you publish the truth, it is not an attack, it is the truth. AKM only wrote one article concerning Rep Doogan. As far as public figures go, AKMs’ most prolific contributions concern Sarah Palin.
2:insulted a constituent………….. Representatives work FOR the people are paid BY the people and are ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE. If you cannot justify your actions to them, or convince them of your point of view, you tell them that you are sorry that they do not agree with you. Then you thank them for taking the time to engage you and let them know that you respect their opinion. That is what ALL mannered, civilized folks do, not just politicians. Representatives never have any right to insult a voter, NEVER.
3:Ordered a constituent to “defend her position”………….As I pointed out, this person is his boss as it were. It is up to Doogan and/or any other politician to defend their own positions. The voting public are never, ever required to “defend” their positions.
Mr. Poe, there IS no defending a politician that treats voters in this manner, there just is not. Rep Doogan has sent many insulting responses to his voting public, while he does not do this in anonymity, he certainly does not do it in person. Indeed, Rep Doogan hides behind his e-mail. My mother would say of a person like this ” Doogan, he is a brave man…….. when he is on the other end of a telephone”
I have never heard of or known a politician to respond to the public the way Rep Doogan does.
Rep. Doogan has been relentless, (some would say he stalked AKM) in exposing AKMs’ identity. Doogans’ behavior has been obsessive to say the least.
The manner in which Rep Doogan responds to his voters reflects none of the qualities you lend to him in your post, in fact Edward R. Murrow would rollover in his grave at this comparison, quote;
Deep down Mike is a journalist of the old school variety, the Edward R. Murrow type. As a columnist Mike took his fair share of shots from politicians he took on, because his name was attached to the column. For Mike to see others able to do this under different, new rules must be frustrating for him.
===============================================
To round it all off Rep Doogan may have broken some laws in his obsessive quest to uncover AKMs identity, not to mention putting her children in harms way.
Being frustrated does not excuse any, illegal or immoral action. It does not excuse verbally abusing the voters of Alaska.
Rep Les Gara appeared on the Mudflats blog and had a wonderful exchange with the voters and contributors from the four corners of the globe. I’m sure Rep Doogan knew about this, but rather than avail himself of attempting to engage in an opportunity like this, he would rather expose AKMs’ identity.
My final thought for you Mr. Poe, as you seek to win an election of your own, we are judged by the company we keep and as you attempt to excuse the inexcusable, I only see you falling short of your goal.
Thank you for your insight into Mr Doogans behavior. It is a reflection of what I suppose is his family tree. Along with his twisted branch we can also find Simon La Gree the gleefull mustache twisting cad standing over Bess tied to the train tracks, and the Wicked “I’ll get you my pretty and your little dog too” Witch of the West in that familiar line. As with others on his tree he has become a legend in his own mind.
What a disgusting abuse of the public trust and the power of government office.
Can he be recalled?
I applaud Bob Poe for a well reasoned post as well as calm reiterations of his arguments. It is important for us to try to understand not only why this happened in the small sense (ie, Mike Doogan is a jerk) but also we need to see this is the larger perspective of just what it is that bloggers do, and how that relates to journalism, and how journalism has become something new that we haven’t fully understood yet. And I see nothing wrong with feeling complete and utter outrage at this unethical and probably illegal act by Doogan, while at the same time hoping that AKM will indeed find this (inadvertently) opens new doors and opportunities.
I am struck by the number of posters here that, like me, found this friendly little blog last summer when a relatively unknown politician was suddenly placed before us. AKM showed us how to get to know this person, not by ranting but by providing the information and letting us talk about it from all different perspectives. The conversations didn’t get nasty or profane, and this became a place to check in on every day – like a coffee shop where you can always find someone you recognize. There is a civility to Mudflats, but also deep passion from AKM and also from the people who post here, and there is a thread of integrity that always runs through this site. People are here because they believe in something, and I hope AKM will continue to provide this forum for us to learn and share.
I really do believe that Doogan has committed an act that is illegal, and I hope he will be held accountable. At the same time, the Legislature has a responsibility to censure him for this outrageous action.
Finally, I must say it is extraordinarily coincidental that Fox News has a team up there right now. They found Andree McLeod, they certainly are looking for Celtic Diva…did they decide to go for a triple? Is this ‘outing’ truly a product of Doogan’s bitterness? Or Sarah’s! Sarah, who has lost her cool for the last week in apparently uncontrollable bitterness and rage…Sarah gets mad. Fox shows up and goes after two people who filed ethics complaints against her. Then one of Sarah’s most influential critics is ‘outed’. If there are any journalists still left out there…this might be the story!
AS 11.41.270. Stalking in the Second Degree.
(a) A person commits the crime of stalking in the second degree if the person knowingly engages in a course of conduct that recklessly places another person in fear of death or physical injury, or in fear of the death or physical injury of a family member.
(1) “course of conduct” means repeated acts of nonconsensual contact involving the victim or a family member.
I,ve been reading this blog anonymously for awhile now as a way to find more info on the person who aspired to be one non heartbeat away from POTUS. I agree with everyone about the horrible attack on the writer of this blog. Hopefully I won,t blather on too long. Anyway, I haven,t read any posts from the Idaho mudpups lately. I lived up in the panhandle briefly in the early 90′s. When I would travel up to Sandpoint there was a small town just north of Cd’Alene(Hayden Lake).Do you know when the compound that is there was established, and if the Heaths were involved with it. I made a lot of good friends while I lived there and am in no way trying to slam most of thedamngood people that live there. I’m just curious to know if anyone up there has looked into this.
Bob Poe writes:
So two things have now happened with Mike Doogan’s “outing” of the AK Muckraker. First, Mike has struck out against a force he is having a hard time embracing and won’t be able to stop. Secondly, the author of The Mudflats has been brought face to face with hopefully the next stage of her writing life.
~~~~~~~~
AKM, read the second point. A few posts ago you mentioned all the things were were not, and one of them was a writer. You’re just one person with an Alaskan perspective. True enough, but you ARE a writer!
Part of the hunger with this blog and other progressive blogs is exactly what Poe is writing about above. People like you are doing what the press and MSM have stopped doing as the corporations feed us entertainment BULLSHIT and call it news.
Murrow would be proud of you and I fell in love with this place just because I felt YOU were doing what no one else was doing…asking questions for me AND answering them. I literally found this place when I Googled “Who the f*ck is Sarah Palin?”
The press used to go witness what we couldn’t witness ourselves and tell us what they witnessed. They stopped doing that.
Make no mistake about it, you stepped off the ledge and became a journalist and a writer. The fact no one was sure who you were does not take away the truths you have brought to life. Thank You. You deserve the award that is placed on this blog.
Wise words, Mr. Poe.
You make me proud to be a Democrat and a progressive.
Dear AKM, you have such presence in our lives. Your audience adores you; we love your voice, your tone, your sharp eye, your wit, your talent for untangling the yarn of Alaskan politics; step into the light. Let us see more of you. It will be wonderful for all of us.
We have to wonder why, if doogie felt so strongly about this anonymity being a very wrong thing, THAT as a legislator why in the heck didn’t he do his job and go through the proper legal channels of government to “prevent” anonymity, THAT’S because he would have been laughed out of the leg and anything like this would have NEVER passed to anywhere.
So, do you think he has any right holding office? Is this not an outright smack to the face of a democracy that he’s “supposedly” qualified to serve? I think it reflects some twisted views that are very revealing and should bring concern.
He deserves to loose his elected office and should face penalty. This is just to ironic coming from a public official elected to uphold government and public rights.
@taupe in Fargo
——————————————————————–
Everything you said doubled! What a despicable thing he did. Some people are so afraid of the Truth, but the Truth will always be heard. The first step to fascism is to take away the freedom of dissent and to say things which may be unpopular. Tough on you Mike Doogan. You have shown yourself to be a very very small man. I can see the end of your political career from my house!!!
Georgette in NY
posting this for basheert incase he/she can’t……..
OK folks – here you all go – The story is now a lead on Daily Kos.
And just for more ammo, here is the eff from the Supreme Court Ruling on anonymity in cyberspace (go get the piece of human DooDoo):
There is an interesting page on the EFF web site that discusses the right to anonymous communication. I think it is high time that someone somewhere stands up and challenges Sarah Palin, Mike Doogan and all others who whine and carry on about anonymous bloggers. The right to anonymity is VITAL to our political system. Check out the following quote from a US Supreme Court case upholding the right to such communications. This is taken from the EFF web page http://www.eff.org/issues/anonymity
” Anonymous communications have an important place in our political and social discourse. The Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly that the right to anonymous free speech is protected by the First Amendment. A much-cited 1995 Supreme Court ruling in McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission reads:
” Protections for anonymous speech are vital to democratic discourse. Allowing dissenters to shield their identities frees them to express critical, minority views . . . Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. . . . It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights, and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation . . . at the hand of an intolerant society. ”
Well stated, Mr Poe — judiciously diplomatic, but well stated.
This is the most important line in the whole article:
“Mike has struck out against a force he is having a hard time embracing and won’t be able to stop.”
Bob, it’s not that I don’t get it, but it was the Muckraker’s choice whether or not to let the world know her name. Rep. Doogan stripped her of that choice – inexcusably, unforgivably and (quite) illegally. Nobody can put more forcefully than she has the multitude of reasons why she wanted to remain anonymous, but can I just add one? Did you read her piece “Back From the Belly Of The Beast – Infiltrating The Lincoln Day Dinner”? She couldn’t have gotten in and done that reporting had her identity be revealed, and now she will no longer be able to. http://www.themudflats.net/page/5/ Even Republicans I know who read it laughed so hard they cried.
Clearly, Doogan can’t stand the heat anymore – he should retire, rest on his laurels, do a little fishing.
Wow, timely and articulate. Might make a good governor.
Mr. Poe,
While I commend you for trying to defend your friend, I have to ask you if it was worth it to twist yourself into a pretzel trying to find a marginally reasonable excuse for his inexcusable actions?
I learned a valuable life lesson a few years back that I am still suffering the fall out over. Never send an email in anger! When something happens in life that you feel a strong need to comment about over email (or blogs, comments, etc), by all means – type it out, rant, rave! Just don’t hit send – walk away from the computer for a good ten minutes or so. Come back and read your message then delete it and start over in a more calm and subdued frame of mind. Your post above is an example of calm and subdued, Mr Doogan’s many emails show someone who shoots first and ducks questions later. While I appreciate snark and consider sarcasm an art form, I don’t believe it has any place in politics. Mr Doogan has been upset since being called to task a few months back because of his sarcastic email responses and lack of email etiquette. There’s a right way and a wrong way to reply to email and he chose the wrong way. AKM called him on it, that is all she did. She did not harp on it or attack him, AKM just recommended that he find another way to do things. Apparently Mr Doogan has a problem with constructive criticism and so chose to retaliate. My biggest objection to his email to AKM, and there were many but this was the one that still bothers me, is that the last line sounds an awful lot like blackmail (telling her he was going to out her and then offering her a chance to comment). What difference would a comment from AKM make? Would he have changed his mind if she responded to his threat with a promise to print an apology for her earlier critique of his email etiquette? Did he want her to promise only to write good, positive things about him? My Enquiring mind wants to know.
Mr. Poe, your comments were nicely written and informed. However, the sum of it has the tone and tenor of excusing Doogan as merely acting as a “Dutch Uncle”. You claim his behavior is disturbing but not surprising in light of all the changes in the world.
What you don’t say is that it was wrong.
I agree with most of the blogs here…I read AKM every day..I am afraid not to read it…It keeps me aware of what GINO is doing and that is news I need to know as long as she is still in the running for the next POTUS.
The WORLD WIDE WEB is a wonderful place and IT IS THE 21st century.
A lot of people did not update their clocks from 1999 to 2000.
Newspapers did their job in the 20th Century, but the script has switched and there is a new game in the world called the WWW. Some folks will always want to read the Newspaper with their coffee…others will shift to the http://WWW…it will work out well, just as other changes have over the years.
The people that have not updated to the 21st Century are not all OLD PEOPLE…there are many YOUNGSTERS who are still “A DAY LATE”
My son updated his DJ equipment from lugging thousands of RECORDS around (that weighed a ton) to using the computer and being able to carry MILLIONS of song with him in a space the size of a makeup kit. It took him a minute to get it right….but it works so much better.
I love the 21st century….online banking…shopping….verifying facts…reading other peoples opinions…reading newspapers from all over the world..it is great….but it did take time to learn this http://WWW….but it was worth it.
Hopefully no one will have to sue anybody…over the use of the WWW in a short time….Until then..everybody….take a deep breath and GET ON BOARD THE http://WWW….it is here to stay in the 21st CENTURY.
AKA..KEEP ON TRUCKIN’
Right on Bob Poe!
Hang in there AKM and our new Governor Bob Poe is right a new door has been opened for you and we REALLY need you to walk through it, don’t close it……please!
Against Sarah Palin in 2010
and
For Bob Poe Alaskas new Governor in 2010
Thank you for your insightful and thoughtful response. I am concerned that a public citizen used public resources for personal reasons, but that will be settled in the courts or legislature if it gets that far. I do appreciate your comments about Doogan. It doesn’t excuse him at all, but it does help explain.
Jeanne is a witty, brilliant, and insightful and I hope she continues expressing her views, too.
Sorry, I meant that Doogan, a public servant, used public resources for his personal reasons.
I love Mudflats and love the work of AKM. Been reading here since last summer.
However, I disagree with many of you. I don’t not think that bloggers have some “right” to remain anonymous. I’ve even heard some of you suggest that the constitution protects the rights of internet users to remain anonymous. The constitution does no such thing.
Yes the internet has changed our world. But parts of the world have also remained the same. Poe thinks that bloggers are more transparent and trustworthy? That is absolutely wrong. Sure, AKM is trustworthy, but for every AKM there are 100 frauds. And we are lucky that AKM is as honest as she is. There is absolutely NO accountability, precisely because of all that anonymity.
I would actually prefer that more bloggers come out of the closet. It would improve the accountability of blogging in general.
And about politicians and public figures: sure, they asked for the job of public service. And they get paid for it. They get paid to completely open up their identity and private lives to the world. And once that happens, their anonymity is gone forever. I actually believe that one can’t get paid enough for it. Even with people like Palin, I believe she has given up something priceless, and should be lauded for it (yes, even though she purposefully uses her private life as a political tool). Once a blogger starts to have a certain impact…I think s/he should offer up that priceless thing too.
And about the internet again…thinking that you can remain anonymous once you’ve done things like win a Best Political Blog Award and started selling ads on your blog? It reminds me a little of Facebook users who think they can get away with posting pics of themselves at the beach on the day they called in sick to work…this is the internet, folks! The internet is the real world too. It is not an alternative universe. Stuff happens.
Points 2 – 4 strike me as horribly naive.
>1. Blogs have niche expertise; newspapers try to cover too much.
True. Agreed. Bloggers fill a niche that newspapers don’t. They are useful that way.
>2. Bloggers are more transparent because they are upfront about their biases. >Readers trust themselves to be able to weigh these and to glean a balanced view >from what they read.
I see this as naive and wishful thinking. I don’t trust my judgment of bloggers at all! Even AKM could be a fraud!
>3. Bloggers link to documents and sources so the process is transparent, >verifiable, and easy for the reader to review.
Actually a lot less common that you make it seem. A blogger could abuse this at a blink of an eye. And people are careless in what they choose to believe.
>4. And perhaps most important, when a blogger makes a mistake the credible >bloggers take responsibility next to the original posting, not on page 7.
That is exactly it. How do we know who is credible?
Onion…I beg to differ. On everything.
When reading a newspaper article, a blog entry, an editorial, or an op-ed, an O’Reilly segment, or even a Presidential speech…we citizens have an obligation to evaluate the content. We don’t know who is credible unless we research. And with or without a name attached to the story or opinion, we still have that obligation to verify. As we become familiar with a particular source, we start to develop those judgements and understand their personal biases (which everyone has). We can then evaluate in terms of that bias and make a judgement that we can act on.
It is the totality of AKM’s blog that defines its credibility to me, after reading it daily for 6 months or so. I don’t agree with all of the judgements stated there, but have been quite impressed with the factual content which matches other sources I can look up. Frankly, the judgement is pretty good, too!
AKM has every right to post anonymously. If you, or another citizen, were to make her identity public, I would decry that – but I would consider that to be fair game.
But when a public official used his public power to expose her name, for clearly stated vindictive reasons, that is an abuse of his position, and it has taken away her right to privacy, and it is intolerable! Censure him, and sue him, I say!
Freedom of Speech does not come with an ID card.
Freedom of Speech! PLEASE don’t give up…the truth hurts and it looks like it is getting to the dishonest.
As a former journalist you surely noticed that usually editorials are unsigned.
Blogging is likely a format you were unfamiliar with but the anonymous blogger is not unusual.
What was the point of unmasking Mudflats? What a waste of time on a personal grudge? You’re already writing novels as well as representing citizens….aren’t either of these full-time jobs?
And you gave the woman only a very short window to intercede if she were in a position where your act placed her in danger. If she were being stalked, or were a state employee, or other situations you could not possibly know about or understand.
It is so disappointing when people who put themselves forward to serve in government turn out to be so self-interested in the end. Serve, serve, get it? That’s supposed to be working for others. And putting yourself in the public domain makes you a target for comment; another fact a journalist should have known.
So disappointing. Even an apology now would be too little, too late.
Oh and I see your page’s op-eds are a bit outdated…2007.
Janet Money
Toronto Canada
FYI the above was the email I sent to Rep. whatsisname.
Mr. Poe,
You use nice calm words to try to explain Mr. Doogan’s actions. Bottom line is he did something very wrong and for apparently uncomprehensible reasons. I too hope that AKM will explore the possibility of legal recourse against Mr. Doogan and I hope he is never re-elected to anything in Alaska, even dogcatcher. More and more I am convinced that Alaska is being governed by a middle-school clique, that is the level of maturity I see.
@Rob in Ca (06:22:23) :
“Fox shows up and goes after two people who filed ethics complaints against her. Then one of Sarah’s most influential critics is ‘outed’. If there are any journalists still left out there…this might be the story!”
————–
Rob, I haven’t agreed with everything you’ve written, but I think on this particular subject you’re spot on. It’s just too, too coincidental. And I think maybe there’s more to be heard of Doogan. We need to keep him on the radar.
===================
“But when a public official used his public power to expose her name, for clearly stated vindictive reasons, that is an abuse of his position, and it has taken away her right to privacy, and it is intolerable! Censure him, and sue him, I say!….
“Freedom of Speech does not come with an ID card.”
————–
You betcha, Rob!
Censure by the Alaska Legislature.
Bob Poe, I strongly disagree with you. Psychologizing Rep. Doogan is only excusing his behavior, while leaving the structural reasons why he went after AKM unexamined. We should examine the roots of why elected officials attack cyber-citizens and truth-tellers. We should not condone nor apologize for government officials who call our truth-tellers names or harass and stalk them.
Bob Poe, “other journalists” are condoning Rep. Doogan’s action? Doogan did not commit his heinous act as a “journalist”, but as a state politician using state resources.
Though BP’s commentary was well intended…imho, he could have omitted the very last sentence ~ and then consider choosing his friends more carefully.
Jus sayin’…
This may have already been said but since I’ve not had the chance to read all the posts:
With all due respect, Mr. Poe, Mr. Doogan’s name does not belong in the same sentence with that of Edward R. Murrow.
Nicely stated, Bob–excellent observations as well. Insight and grace such as yours might help put an end to some of this Pit Bull politics.
I appreciate some of the things that Mr. Poe said, but there is no excuse for what Doogan did-none!
It is AKM’s choice to go on from here. It was never Doogan’s choice to make for her. And he almost certainly did it illegally. I will support AKM in any way she needs and wants support. I am so worried for her and her family.
This is an open (and short, especially for me!) reply to Poe (and Doogan, should he have the decency to read it) regarding the changing face of journalism and public debate in general.
Mr. Poe, you point out the crunch newspapers are in, and blame the rise of blogging for their problems. To your credit you acknowledge that the quality of so-called “mainstream” media has been changing (IMHO, worsening) for quite some time. Personally I observed it getting much worse in the 1990s. But you imply that it is the result of competition–mainstream pundits say “unfair” competition–from online commentary.
Now I don’t believe that the blogging world can operate as it does without the kind of work mainstream journalists are _supposed_ to do, so it is a very bad thing indeed that these sources are collapsing as they are. But you put the blame in the wrong place.
I urge you, and Rep. Doogan, and anyone else whining about the evil competition of bloggers to read this post by Fred Clark, AKA “Slacktivist.” Note that while he is a blogger with a handle, he is also not anonymous and is a professional journalist.
http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/2008/11/why-oh-why-cant-we-have-a-better-press-corps.html
The bottom line is–the bottom line. As in, a business culture that has taken (on a timescale of the past couple generations, not just this past decade or so) its mission to be pursuing _maximum_ profit rather than enabling good craftsmanship with a _reasonable_ profit. It is the business side of newspapers and other mainstream media, not a ragtag legion of bloggers, who have been killing responsible public journalism.
Doogan has outed himself on this and I for one am not surprised.
The majority of his columns over the years were all about tearing other people down while cloaking himself as some kind of reformer.
His anger and bitterness have been his hallmark, ripping on Fairbanks as if to remove the birthplace stain and then proudly proclaiming his man of the people Duchy of Spenard credentials.
Then he harps on his daughter attending Hahvad to no end as if by extension he can do both worlds with ease.
Seriously conflicted.
Mike wrote one piece where he let down his guard and joined the human race, a warm little piece on a surplus Air Force parka with the name Denbigh sewn on it.
Most everything else was shin-kicking and sucker punching and he reveled in that perception of himself.
That does not describe a well adjusted individual.
Michael Carey took the opposite tack and is well regarded and beloved.
Two guys from Fairbanks.
Welcome back, AKM. I enjoy reading your posts and the comments, but I rarely contribute. As you can see, everyone was hoping that you would continue to entertain and inform us about Alaska and its quirky politics. As someone from Illinois, I can appreciate the local “charm” or “harm” that is uniquely state politics. Your voice has been a call to action locally with the great response to public political gatherings as well as internationally as you helped us understand and respond to the needs of the rural community.
If you decided you needed to stop writing, it would have been a loss for Alaska and the vast community of those you invited to join your discourse. However, it seems that you have inspired others who would be ready to take up the call. I hope you are proud of what you have accomplished so far.
Stay safe and take comfort in knowing that mean-spirited, bitter old men usually get what’s coming to them!
I know that I am late in the game, but what Rep Mike Doogan did is reprehsible, but at the same time, it shows exactly how insecure he is.
I have enjoyed visiting Mudflats ever since I began blogging last year. During the election, it was the one source that I turned to to find out what was really going on with the Governator. This blog has been an incredible resource, both through its moderator and through the comment threads. What Doogan did was unconscionable, not because we now know the author’s name as she should be proud of what she has created here, but because a politician should not have the time to go searching for a blogger’s identity.
Politicians should be working on fixing this country, fixing their states. The economy is in the shithole, Doogan. Look at your state and tell me that the time you spent in outing an intelligent, well-versed, source of news for thousands of people is more important than the bigger issues facing all of Americans right now.
Doogan, your priorities are incredibly out of whack.
Bob, nice of you to drop in, however, truthfully, you could have sent this to Loogie quite some time ago. If you noticed a change in his behavior, did you bring the issue up with him, as a friend?
Loogie can explain himself to a judge in federal court, I’m sure we all want to know, however, one must think before opening one’s mouth. This from a Representative? Exactly whom is he representing?
I certainly don’t need anyone excusing why this pathetic fool did what he did. Overall, you’re sending the wrong message. For instance, I object to your statement that AKM needed to thank Loogan for kicking her? Forwards or not, it’s about your choice of words and your assumption. It’s not up to anyone to do any kicking when that person may have a plan of her own, thank you. In other words, Loogan ought to be minding his own business.
“The Legislature can change people.”— poppycock, my friend.
…”the author of The Mudflats has been brought face to face with hopefully the next stage of her writing life.” — your quote, stating the obvious, but is this your way of expressing condolences to AKM when some First Rights Amendments of hers were violated? By a friend of yours whom you’ve known for many years, no less.
Maybe you’re done with dispensing any more of your advice, sir, before you’re face to face with something and get kicked forwards yourself.
Bob,
RE: criteria for anonymous bloggers to avoid name release to Alaska constituents
Please publish the criteria I need to follow to prevent my name being sent to constituents of lawmakers in Alaska. What do I have to do to ensure that Rep. Mike doogan does not release my name. I am, of course, aware of the laws governing free speech and privacy, but doogan’s “theory of the public process” seems very ill defined. I need to know, for example, how much notice I will get before doogan sends my name to his constituents. I need to know how much proof doogan has to have before he is sure he has the right name.
HMMM, what if doogan uses my name for someone else’s blog. GOSH, this is really scary.